College Football Corner--Spectacular Saturday--except for mixed marriages..

From Texas-Oklahoma State to Penn State-Ohio State, last weekend as prime college football viewing...as the Cowboys continue second-tier status in the Big Twelve and the Nittany Lions retirement gift to JoePa lasts another week. Surprised by the lack of defense...from Oklahoma allowing 35 to Georgia coughing up 38 (thank goodness LSU allowed 52)

And seriously, did we have to have Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Navy all playing at the same time? I'm just worried for the Terp-Hokie or Middie-Cavalier families split own the middle where Tivo's concerned.

MARYLAND weathered the elements and in a rain-soaked afternoon affair needed a last-minute field goal from Obi Egekeze to nip North Carolina State 27-24. The homecoming faithful may have gone home wet, but certainly happy. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--Da Rel Scott rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown while Davin Meggett gained 51 yards on the game-winning 89 yard march...the defense tallied three sacks (including one on a safety blitz by defensive back Jamari McCollough...in addition to the pressure-filled game-winner, Egekeze kicked a 47-yarder. TERRAPIN TROUBLES--they let a winless in the ACC Wolfpack hang around much longer than necessary...and had the ball for only 24 minutes (allowing the opponent to convert on 9 of 15 third downs will do that...



VIRGINIA TECH wasted a 10-0 first half lead for the second straight week, falling at Florida State 30-20. More importantly, the Hokies lost quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon to injury. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--third-stringer Cory Holt played well off the bench, directing a fourth quarter touchdown drive...freshman WR Jarrett Boykin caught 4 passes for 89 yards...the defense held FSU to 4-14 on third down. HOKIE HUMBLINGS-- again, the offense wasted a decent defensive effort...VT allowed six sacks... converted just 1 of 11 third downs and lost a pair of fumbles...7 penalties didn't help much either...

VIRGINIA may very well be this election year's "October Surprise"...the Cavaliers posted their first road win by defeating Georgia Tech 24-17. All of a sudden, this team is leading the Coastal Division...Tampa, anyone? CAVALIER CONGRATS-- Cedric Peerman gained 118 yards rushing and 55 more receiving while scoring the winning touchdwn...the defense tallied three takeaways...CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--Marc Verica tossed two more interceptions and UVa also lost a fumble--they've been very fortunate the turnovers haven' cost them thus far.

Presto's Picks--Big Ten blahs...

Third ranked Penn State faces Ohio State this evening in a Big Ten battle royale--in what may be that conference's final moment of relevance. Should the Nittany Lions lose there would be no national spotlight on the league--except for how bad Michigan is this fall.

I'm not saying Big Ten football is necessarily bad--perhaps its that the league doesn't have a phenomenal broadcast partner like the SEC on CBS. Let's be honest, Verne Lundquist would make the Sun Belt relevant. The conference also suffers from the "three yards and a cloud of dust" image that has permeated over the years--and although it's no longer a dump and chase league, the perception is still one of boring football. Also, the Big Ten has been so dominated by Ohio State (and Michigan plus Penn State) over the years when one of the "other schools" like Northwestern or Minnesota contend it becomes a "who cares" situation.

Alma Mater Update---yes, Syracuse is not good this fall (their lone win coming against Northeastern)...but as the Orange enjoy a bye week I can at least bask in the movie The Express...Ernie Davis' biopic actually was watchable, there were no talking mules and no "let's lip-sync to songs of the era to show the team is getting along" scene. Definitely a must-see...plus, there's a scene where coach Ben Schwartzwalder (played by Dennis Quaid) talks about "unruly West Virginia fans"... I knew the couch-burning thing wasn't just a Generation X phenomenon.

MARYLAND meets a North Carolina State team that's winless in the ACC...while that would be welcomed by just about every team, remember that the Terrapins have lost to a pair of teams most expected them to beat (Middle Tennessee and Virginia). Is there any chance coach Ralph Friedgen campaigned for the Wolfpack to receive some votes in this weeks rankings (Terps are 3-0 against teams in the Top 25)? Terps pound the Pack, 37-15.

VIRGINIA TECH at Florida State--the Seminoles have rested under the radar after a 12-3 loss to Wake Forest; close wins over Miami and NC State not exactly making the Tallahassee faithful secure. The Hokie offense stumbled in last week's loss to Boston College-- can Tyrod Taylor take another step towards being a complete quarterback? Last week despite strugging (12-27, 90 yards) he wasn't lifted for Sean Glennon... Hokies humbled at Doak Campbell Stadium 18-12.


VIRGINIA at Georgia Tech--can the Cavaliers continue their ridiculous run? Yes, they've won three straight-but all of those victories have come at Scott Stadium...the Cavs have yet to win on the road this fall and it will be a tough test at the Yellowjackets--especially with coach Paul Johnson's option offense starting to hum (Jonathan Dwyer averages more than six yards a carry). Cavaliers come up short, 20-15.


Navy smacks around SMU, Howard slips to North Carolina A&T, Georgetown falls to Richmond, James Madison tops Villanova.

Redskins Report--heading into the Lions' Den...

The Redskins continued their tour of old franchises gone bad with a 14-11 win over Cleveland (yes, we know the real Browns reside in Baltimore, but the uniforms and namely Jim Brown still reside by Lake Erie--you tell Mr. Brown differently)...ruminations as the team nears midseason...

Campbell coolly efficient--still no interceptions thrown through almost half a season...Joe Theismann once said a as a quarterback you might not be able to the game on your own--but you definitely can lose the game on your own...and #17 is keeping mistakes out of his equation.

Clinton in '08--one reason why Jason Campbell isn't taking unnecessary chances has been the monster season Clinton Portis has been having...his 818 yards lead the NFL and he's averaged over 5 yards a carry during his run of four straight 100-yard games. One concern is overuse: I'm not saying you equally divide the carries--but if you give CP 20 attempts and the rest of the backs (Cartwright, Alexander and Sellers) 15 tries, he'll be that much fresher for the stretch run.

Is this a pass rush or a passive rush? The Skins tallied just one sack against the Browns and have 9 through 7 games...hopefully as Jason Taylor gets healthier they'll create more pressure--heaven knows the secondary could use it...

Bumps, bruises and secondary saviors--Defensive lineman Cornelius Griffin and cornerback Shawn Springs are both listed as out for this weekend's game...while corners Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot are banged up. Thank goodness for Laron Landry and Chris Horton at safety...otherwise this would feel like 2006 when the unit ranked 31st in the NFL.

Plackemeier's punting has potential--the Skins new specialist had plenty of work--8 kicks for an average of 37 yards per try...two punts in the 40's and no 26 yarders giving the opponent prime field position...Ryan Plackemeier is also our kind of punter-at 6 foot 3 and 247 pounds you know he can make the tackle if necessary...

What's in a name? don't mess with the football gods...Dallas traded for WR Roy Willams, creating the obvious controversy as they already have a Roy Williams on their team-at safety. I thought the Cowboys were set both at WR and with players named Roy Williams... as karma turned out, the safety's done for the year with a broken arm. Meanwhile, Jerry Jones has not been asked whether or not he's called Chapel Hill, NC for the Sunday services of a certain Tar Heels coach...so what if his sport's basketball--he's got the name game down pat.

Lion down in Detroit--what a mess of a franchise...just one playoff win (91 vs Dallas) since 1957 (truth be told the Lions dominated the 1950's--winning 3 championships)... a wasted decade with Barry Sanders and Wayne Fontes cancelling each other out...and then the MATT MILLEN ERA/ERROR. I actually thought it was part of a FOX reality series--"Guess who's GM!" where an unqualified big name gets a pivotal organizational role...with Isiah Thomas and the Knicks being the midseason replacement. Would the world be any worse if the Lions just played their Thanksgiving home game and took the rest of the year off--would we really care?
Skins roll, 34-13.

College Football Corner--does anyone want to win this league?

The Atlantic Coast Conference is beginning to resemble the NFC Central of the early 80's... as there are now no schools unbeaten in league play and nobody in the top 20 of either the writers' rankings or the coaches poll (#21 Georgia Tech just missing the cut). Each week we're teased by a Clemson or a Wake Forest--even a Maryland--only to see said school come up short the following Saturday. On the bright side it promises to be a wide-open November with plenty of scoreboard-watching--as seven teams have just one loss in conference play...until some of them let us down next week.

MARYLAND put together its best 60-minute effort of the season in a 26-0 shutout of 21st ranked Wake Forest--a nice byproduct of their bye week that puts them in back in the ACC Atlantic race...now if only the team that's 3-0 against teams in the top 20 can avoid a letdown against winless in the ACC North Carolina State. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--the defense held the Demon Deacons to 3 of 15 on third down and handcuffed quarterback Riley Skinner all afternoon (14 of 30 passing, 16 yards rushing)...Da'Rel Scott shook off recent struggles, rushing for 73 yards and throwing a touchdown pass...Darius Heyward-Bey bounced back from consecutive catchless games by posting 11 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown...Obi Egekeze connected on four field goals (a far cry from his September struggles). TERRAPIN TROUBLES--four fumbles (two of which were lost) almost kept Wake in the game...

VIRGINIA continues to turn around what was once a dismal season with a 16-13 overtime victory over 18th rated North Carolina...as a slumbering offense wakes up just in time. CAVALIER CONGRATS--two interceptions and a fumble recovery by the defense kept the Tar Heels at bay...Marc Verica completed 7 of 8 passes for 80 yards on the game-tying drive. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--the running game had problems even with Peerman getting 15+ carries (58 yards on 27 tries for the team)...the first half was an offensive nightmare, with 49 yards gained on 24 plays from scrimmage.

17th ranked VIRGINIA TECH was bitten by Beamer-ball for the second time this year; allowing a 65-yard punt return for a score in a 28-23 loss to Boston College...as the Hokie offense fails to tally a touchdown. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--Brett Warren and Macho Harris both returned Eagle interceptions for TD's...all told the defense forced five takeaways. Tyrod Taylor tallied 110 yards rushing. HOKIE HUMBLINGS--unfortunately Taylor the quarterback completed just 12 of 27 passes for 90 yards and an interception...runningback Darren Evans spun his wheels to the tune of 27 yards on 17 carries...and do we have to address VT allowing a special teams touchdown?

Presto's Picks--division of detesting...

Conferences in college football are often defined by their signature rivalries from USC-UCLA to Ohio State-Michigan...these big games provide snapshots to each league and usually have animosity as an ingredient in its recipe. Well, then there's the SEC West, where just about every coach or school has a hate-wish against another school in the division. Outside of traditional foes Alabama-Auburn and Ole Miss-Mississippi State, there are these grudge matchups:


Auburn-Arkansas: Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville was nearly jettisoned a few years ago with then-Louisville and current Razorbacks mentor Bobby Petrino ready to stab him in the back to take his job... Arkansas-Ole Miss: Houston Nutt left the Razorbacks for the Rebels last winter in the aftermath of a text-message scandal and highly touted recruits transferring...LSU-Alabama: did we mention Nick Saban used to coach the Tigers before sneaking away for the NFL before sneaking to Tuscaloosa?...Mississippi State-Alabama: Sylvester Croom should have gotten the Crimson Tide job earlier this decade, only to have his impressive resume ignored in favor of flameout Mike Shula.



MARYLAND vs Wake Forest--these are not your father's Demon Deacons...not even your uncles Deacons for that matter. Coach Jim Grobe has led a resurgence in Winston-Salem behind a misdirection-based attack...Riley Skinner is yet another ACC star quarterback the Terps will have to contend with (and unlike Cullen Harper--appears to have the right stuff). Can Maryland bounce back from one of the toughest losses in the Ralph Friedgen era and avenge last year's collapse (led by 21 points in the second half before falling in overtime)? Terps tumble 31-20.


#17 VIRGINIA TECH at Boston College--the Eagles are holding up well in the first post-Matt Ryan season...until you realize that three of their wins have come against Kent State, Rhode Island and Central Florida (what-no Holy Cross?)...last year on Thursday Night Football Ryan led the Eagles to an improbable rally in Blacksburg--this fall they're led by Chris Crane (4 TD's and 6 INT) who's not enough to derail the little Va Tech engine that could...after another nail-biter...Hokies hold on, 22-17.


VIRGINIA vs 18th rated North Carolina--can the Cavaliers continue their improbable October run (there's only ONE OCTOBER!) with a game against the Tar Heels...who are just a second half-collapse against Virginia Tech away from being the ACC story this fall. This game is traditionally billed as "the South's oldest rivalry"--which might technically be true but doesn't hold a candle to even the 5th biggest matchup in the SEC (see above)...although this game will have the cutest combination of co-eds in the stands. Cavaliers come up short, 27-20.

ELSEWHERE: Navy keeps dreams alive for a DC bowl appearance with an upset of Pitt, Georgetown's beaten by Bucknell, Howard's humbled by Morgan State,
William & Mary defeats Delaware, Richmond rips Massachussetts.


LAST WEEK: 3-2

OVERALL: 34-14

Redskins Report-railroaded by Rams...

So the 7-1 vision won't happen...despite outgaining the Rams by 168 yards and posting 13 more first downs the Skins come up short on a last-second field goal...as the sense of deja vu hit Fed Ex Field:

Another home loss by a Redskins team playing well to a previously thought hopeful team....last year they fell 17-16 to a Bills team ranked 31st on offense and 32nd on defense...in 2006 they fell 25-22 to a winless Titans team with a rookie QB making his debut....in '05 they lost 16-13 to a Raiders squad headed to 4-12.

Tormented by turnovers...when it rains, it pours...for the first time this year the offense turned the ball over--three first half fumbles that torpedoed any momentum the team had cultivated...capped by Pete Kendall's drop after the lineman caught a tipped pass--a fumble that was returned 75 yards for touchdown.

Moss gathering...um, moss? For the second straight week Santana Moss played a limited role (2 catches for 22 yards)--and while it didn't cost them against the Eagles, it definitely limited their fortunes against the Rams.

Punting problems persist...will Plackemeier produce? Durant Brooks tenure in Ashburn came to an abrupt end after he had several short kicks deliver decent field position to the Rams...and now they'll go with Plan B-ex Seattle Seahawk Ryan Plackemeier (45 yds per kick last year), a third-year pro from Wake Forest.

More Sea-skins...Reed Doughty's bad back places the safety on injured reserve for the year--he'll be replaced by Michael Green who spent the last two years in Seattle's secondary. Completing the trifecta was the signing of ex-Seahawks runningback Shaun Alexander...three years removed from being named league MVP.

Concerns about Cleveland? The Browns looked very good in their dismantling of the NY Giants on Monday night--but they likely won't have TE Kellen Winslow for the second straight week...and teams traditionally have trouble playing on the road the week after playing a Monday night game on the road...Redskins roll, 23-13.

College Football Corner--they get to go where?

Moving month stood still for several area teams--Maryland, Virginia Tech and Navy all were idle...and the Midshipmen seem to be in great shape for the postseason at 4-2 with wins over then-#16 Wake Forest and fellow service academy Air Force (tough to believe the Mids have won six straight against a Falcon program that used to dominate its Commander in Chief Trophy rivals); an 8-win regular season is a distinct possibility. Guess what that gets them? A trip to Washington, DC for December 20th's "Eagle Bank Bowl"...where they will face the ACC's ninth (ninth!) place team--if Navy actually has a decent team this fall, shouldn't we aim a tiny bit higher? And as much as I've grown to enjoy the area--seriously: DC in December? We're about to send these young men and women into serving in the line of fire--can't we give them a bowl destination where they can wear shorts by the pool? I guess at least this gives Cadets and families advance notice to purchase tickets to see West Side Story at the Kennedy Center.


VIRGINIA continued its puzzling turnaround--do you really expect me to believe this is the same team that got waxed by UConn and Duke (remember, this is the gridiron and not the hardwood)...a 35-20 victory over East Carolina brought this unit back to .500...go figure, after posting 36 total points over four games in September UVa's been averaging 33 over its last two outings. CAVALIER CONGRATS...Cedric Peerman ignited a first-half rally with touchdown scampers of 60 and 79 yards...backup QB Scott Deke helped put the game away with a touchdown pass on a fake field goal (gutsy call with an 8 point advantage) in the fourth quarter... the defense notched six sacks and put constant pressure on the passer...CAVALIER CATASTROPHES...Marc Verica threw two early interceptions that could have been disastrous...UVa converted just 3 of 14 third downs...Peerman's wheels spun after intermission--gaining just 7 yards on 8 carries in the second half...

Presto's Picks---it's the BIG TWELVE!

The SEC has long been touted as the top conference in college football; but this year that league has an equal--at least in the early going. The Big Twelve (or Big XII as the logo states) has just as many top twenty teams as the SEC (8) and has four of the top seven teams in this week's AP Poll. It has history and great rivalries (look no further than Texas-Oklahoma this weekend). Where the league supersedes the SEC is quarterback play: From Colt McCoy to Chase Daniel, there are just better passing games that put more pressure on defenses...generating plenty of fireworks.

Which brings me to last year--where there were fireworks off the field in two of the best coach press conference freak-outs...Colorado's Dan Hawkins (recently earned a contract extension through 2012) blasting "go play intramurals, brotha" to players who wanted 3 instead of 2 weeks off during offseason conditioning...and Oklahoma State (ranked 17th this week) shouting at a columnist "COME AFTER ME! I'M A MAN! I'M 40!" who criticized one of his players.

That's Division I Football--that's the Big Twelve..

VIRGINIA vs East Carolina-- hope returns to Charlottesville after an incredible thumping of rival Maryland...and with Cedric Peerman back in gear the Cavaliers can at least take some pressure off Marc Verica as he continues to develop his sea legs. The Pirates were early September darlings after back-to-back upsets of Virginia Tech and West Virginia...before ending the month by allowing 36 points a game in two losses to Conference USA opposition. Skip Holtz's team, however, has the benefit of a week off and it's tough to imagine Al Groh's team being able to repeat last week's emotional high. Cavs come up short, 27-24.

MARYLAND and VIRGINIA TECH are both idle and both are still trying to figure themselves out. The Terps looked great against ranked Cal and Clemson while falling apart against Middle Tennessee and Virginia. Consistency was a buzzword in spring and summer practice--and this team is in the midst of a rollercoaster season. Can they get Darius Heyward-Bey the football on a consistent basis? And can the defense put four solid quarters together? Things don't get any easier with NC State the only potential softie remaining on the schedule---but come to think of it, that might work to their advantage.

The Hokies may be 5-1 but they haven't earned any style points (with the exception of the win at Nebraska)...even victories over Furman and Western Kentucky seemed achingly close--this team has yet to find its finishing kick. The good news is Tyrod Taylor gets better with each start, Blacksburg is still the home for "Beamerball" and the Turkey Legs at Lane Stadium are unparalleled. The bad news--Kenny Lewis is done for the year, meaning Darren Evans must shoulder the ground game workload.

Georgetown slips Penn, James Madison rallies past Richmond, William & Mary falls to New Hampshire.

LAST WEEK: 6-1

OVERALL: 31-12

Redskins Report--recipe for playoffs?

I love carrot cake--from the complex texture to the cinnamon accent to the cream cheese icing. Problem is, if you've ever seen a carrot cake being made you might not ever want to eat it--it's the dessert version of a sausage and nothing like the finished product.

One month ago the Redskins were not appealing at all to look at-- a mangled mess of two poor exhibitions and a disastrous opening night against a division rival...somehow coach Jim Zorn and company were able to stay with the recipe yet add a few tweaks--bake at 450 for four weeks...and all of a sudden we have a playoff contender at 4-1...with the icing of back to back wins at Dallas and Philadelphia...


Never fight a land war in Asia--or against this team...the Skins posted huge numbers on the ground for the second straight week--pounding out 203 yards with Clinton Portis providing another stellar effort (145 with touchdown)...meanwhile the defense bottled up the Eagle attack (just 20 yards after the first quarter)...

Time is on their side...when you run the ball effectively, odds are time of possession follows. The Skins held the ball for 23:44 of the second and third quarters (blunting whatever momentum Philly had carved out with a 14-0 lead) and kept possession for the final seven minutes of the game.

Minimize mistakes, maximize your moneymaker...Jason Campbell has yet to throw an interception--does anyone find that mind-boggling the onetime turnover-machine has been playing this well this fall? It isn't as though the offense isn't taking chances either; how about Antwaan Randle El's touchdown pass to Chris Cooley? About Mr. Cooley--with Santana Moss receiving the lion's share attention from the secondary (no catches in plenty of double coverage) it was imperative the Skins got their tight end into the act.

I underestimated defensive coordinator Greg Blache--maybe it was the way chess master Gregg Williams minus the best piece on the board (Sean Taylor) and with other major injuries (Rogers/McIntosh) managed to checkmate the Bears, Vikings, Giants and Cowboys in succession to a playoff berth...but Greg Blache has this unit playing at a very high level ...
although the team has just 6 sacks through 5 weeks. And with a draft focused on three receivers chosen in the second round, who would have thought seventh rounder Chris Horton would be making the biggest splash? The safety leads the team with 3 interceptions and was named Defensive Player of the Week after his first career start.

College Football Corner--that's why they're called surprises...

Seriously, did anyone outside of Charlottesville think UVa would win, let alone crush Maryland beyond recognition? What a season-saving win for a team that had scored 36 points all season; a 31-0 stomping that re-shuffled the ACC's middle class in a hurry.

MARYLAND was sixty minutes away from a 5-1 mark entering their bye week until the Terps were ambushed by the Cavaliers --question marks that had been under the radar flashed to the surface...TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--do I have to fill out this entry? The bus got decent mileage from College Park to Charlottesville--and that's about it... TERRAPIN TROUBLES-- where to begin? The defense was beaten deep on a 51-yard strike early and was battered for allowed 201 yards on the ground...the offense converted 1 of 7 third downs in the first half and never seemed to threaten. For the second straight week, Darius Heyward-Bey was held without a reception...

VIRGINIA salvaged its season thanks to superior effort (5 yards a carry) and gutsy play-calling (the 51 yard pass from Marc Verica to Kevin Ogletree seemed to take the wind out of the Terps' sails). CAVALIER CONGRATS--one week after throwing four interceptions against Duke, Verica played flawlessly (25-34, 226 yards and no INT's) and punctuated a dominant first half with a 15 yard TD pass to Ogletree right before halftime. A finally-healthy Cedric Pearman rumbled for 110 yards and a touchdown while Mikkell Simpson posted his best effort of the season (77 yards rushing and 13 yards receiving). The defense held the Terps' biggest weapon Darius Heyward-Bey without a reception. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--Jimmy Howell averaged under 33 yards per punt...and that's about it--enjoy an A+ week, UVa..

VIRGINIA TECH finally spared fans fourth quarter anxiety by topping Western Kentucky 27-13...as Tyrod Taylor starts to hurt teams with his arm. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--Taylor completed 10 of 15 passes for 125 yards and the first VT touchdown pass of the year...with Kenny Lewis lost for the season with a ruptured achilles...Darren Evans gained 79 yards rushing and scored twice...the Hokie D held the Hilltoppers to their side of the field in 6 of WKU's first seven possessions while Victor "Macho" Harris returned an interception to the WKU five--setting up a field goal that gave VT a three possession game into halftime. HOKIE HUMBLINGS--Taylor was sacked five times in the win--and 27 points against Western Kentucky isn't exactly refrigerator-material, either.

PRO file-- Oakland, the NFL's Ottoman Empire...

New to the Preston's Perspective Lineup--- a weekly look at the NFL with emphasis towards the Redskins and the NFC East...titled PRO file...

This week--the saddest sight this season had to have been Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis presiding over the firing of coach Lane Kiffin. As if the suspect hire of a then-31 year old college co-coordinator wasn't enough--what was once a dominant franchse has slid into oblivion...

Believe it or not, the Raiders have 3 Super Bowls to their credit and from 1967 through 1983 advanced to 11 AFL/AFC title games...but has been mismanaged by a pioneer who was as far ahead of the curve in the 60's as he is behind it today. In twenty years he's gone from rooming with the Rooneys to basking with the Bidwells in perception as a competent owner. Unfortunately, it looks as though Al Davis will continue to drive the Raiders into the ground...if you're a fan--just moan, baby...

Game of the Week (non-national variety)--Tampa Bay at Denver--4pm--John Gruden and Mike Shanahan both guided their current teams to Super Bowl titles after ignominious departures from Al Davis's domain...and both have their teams in playoff contention at 3-1 so far this year. Plus, Chris Myers and Tim Ryan are underrated as an announcing team.

Life is just a fantasy-- my fantasy football team is 2-2 and teetering on disaster: my top picks were Tom Brady, Willie Parker and Anquan Boldin-- all have missed significant time...Braylon Edwards has also been a non-factor...my backup QB was Marc Bulger who got benched...thank goodness I took Philly's Kevin Curtis on a flyer in the second to last round!

As Dane Cook, TBS and FOX tell us "There's only One October!" (mister Cook is quickly becoming the Skip Stevenson of his generation- all he needs is a Real People revival and a Love Boat appearance)...October is Moving Month, the part of the season where pretenders (South Florida) are exposed, dream seasons catch fire (Virginia last year, Maryland in 2006) and the wheat is seperated from the chaff as conference play nears the midway point. Duke has shown us they're not a doormat--how will that hold? Clemson's proven they're not heads and shoulders above the ACC--can they recover? And will Miami and Florida State be relevent this fall? Strap yourselves in my friends...October will have plenty of thrills, chills and spills...

Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse is 1-4 after a come-from-ahead loss to Pitt; all eyes are focused on the Ernie Davis-biopic The Express which opens in theaters Friday October 10th...having sat through such football films as "Little Giants" and "Wildcats"...I'm hoping this movie doesn't suck--so far there's promise...although Dennis Quaid looks about 10-15 years younger than Ben Schwartzwalder did when the movie was set--but hey, as long as there isn't a talking mule, I feel good.

MARYLAND at VIRGINIA--what promised to be a rough rebuilding season has turned into a nightmare for Al Groh's bunch...the running game was supposed to be a beacon but Mikkell Simpson has been ineffective while Cedric Peerman's been injured. Maryland appears to be gathering steam after its traditional September hiccup--reasons for the recent success have been a healthy offensive line and an aggressive defense (back to back weeks with three takeaways)...the Terps 2006 win in Charlottesville was their first since 1990--the year UVa went to the Sugar Bowl...a much more sour season continue for the Cavs; Terrapins triumph 30-13.

VIRGINIA TECH vs Western Kentucky--the Hilltoppers are one of the few remaining I-A independent teams; there was once an era when the nations best didn't play in conferences--Penn St, Miami and Florida St. plus Notre Dame to name a few...will this be the week Darren Evans or Kenny Lewis steps forward to become the primary back--and will we see a wide receiver emerge from the pack? Also, will VT finally put away an opponent in the first half? Hokies surprise everyone with a rout 37-14.

Navy gets by Air Force, Howard slips to Winston-Salem, James Madison handles Hofstra, Richmond routs VMI, William & Mary over Villanova.

LAST WEEK: 5-3
OVERALL: 25-11