College football for some schools is about winning it all-- premiere programs like Alabama and Nebraska have clocks built in by their fan bases reminding coaches of the last national title. Others focus on winning their conference and/or getting to the BCS-- Virginia Tech and Boise State recent regulars in January play. For a great many schools though, it's all about getting to postseason play. That means 6 victories (or 7 if you schedule two FCS teams like Syracuse did last year). That often means padding an eight game conference schedule with cannon fodder. Hello, cupcakes. (cupcake moment of thought: I wonder if the famous Georgetown Cupcake in DC sells "St. Leo" or "Hawaii-Loa" as flavors). September's non-conference slate has marquee matchups like Notre Dame-Michigan but also Michigan-Western Michigan. Now I have no problem with padding the 12 game slate with a gimmee, but can we vary things up a little bit? Ohio State faced Mid-American Conference schools Toledo and Akron in consecutive weeks ...is OSU is looking to qualify for the MAC title as a safety school if the Big Ten thing doesn't pan out this fall?
Alma Mater Update-- one week after looking lackluster in a 36-29 overtime win against Wake Forest, the Orange needed a career high 318 yards passing from Ryan Nassib plus a fourth quarter touchdown pass to a walk-on to edge Rhode Island 21-14... and Jim Harrick isn't coaching these Rams. Cause for concern? Could this be the weakest 2-0 team in Division I? After spending a decade just dreaming of 2-0, it's nice to be a paper tiger as opposed to a paperweight.
#11 Virginia Tech (2-0) held turn back the clock day in Blacksburg: the ongoing 2010 storyline was the ability to bounce back after allowing first quarter scores... and Saturday was no different as the Hokies allowed a token East Carolina score before rallying past the Pirates 17-10. A much better gage of where this team needs to improve than Appalachian State. Hokie Highlights-- VT ran for 241 yards with David Wilson providing the thunder (26 carries for 138 yards) and Josh Oglesby providing the lightning (two touchdowns)... the defense allowed -15 yards rushing and held ECU to 2.3 yards per offensive play. Hokie Humblings-- Logan Thomas ran well (11-66) but struggled passing (8-20 for 91 yards with an interception)... 12 penalties gave the Pirates almost an entire football field of free yardage and set up their lone touchdown. Next up: Saturday against Arkansas State.
Virginia (2-0) rallied on the road to give coach Mike London his first Cavalier conquest away from Charlottesville; 11 points in the final two minutes gave UVa a 34-31 win at Indiana (Kippy and Buffy braved the trek to Bloomington, arming themselves with a surefire road victory trio: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Port Wine Cheese and Wheat Thins). Cavalier Congrats-- Perry Jones provided 78 yards rushing, 85 receiving and scored the game-tying touchdown... Cam Johnson's forced fumble set up the game-winning field goal... Jimmy Howell averaged 45.3 yards a punt. Cavalier Concerns-- four turnovers-- one of which was a fumble run back 54 yards for a touchdown. 21 points allowed in the 4th quarter turned a double digit lead into a near-defeat. Next up: Saturday at North Carolina.
Maryland (1-0) had the weekend off: now there's always the question if a team burns its bye week this early in the season-but I think in the aftermath of a Monday night game one needs to unwind-- witness Virginia Tech last year. Next up: Saturday against West Virginia.
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