Thank you, university presidents and athletic directors for making my life quite a bit easier. Instead of having to scour college football for relevant topics and show actual creativity, I'm able to refer to conference's merging and breaking apart with numbing reality. Texas A&M's impending departure from the Big XII has already run its course (although I like Kenneth Starr trying to rally the Lonestar State against the outsider SEC-- DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS, even if it's in the form of Baylor) with the Aggies becoming the lucky 13th member of the best league in the land. This week the Pac-12 has been in the mix with Oklahoma, Texas and to keep geographical balance, Osaka Tech. Last winter the Big East announced that Texas Christian (!) would join the league as the 9th football and 17th basketball school--although Oxford and Cambridge will make perfect travel partners for future expansion and give the conference a head start in cricket. There are those who wonder how the NCAA could let this happen... think of college athletics as the US before the constitution-- a held together by string and Articles of Confederation group of 13 where individual states held reign over their destiny instead of being subject to a strong central government. Where's James Madison when you need him? Fittingly this weekend, playing Liberty. So stay tuned for a world with four 16 team leagues; then we might have a playoff (but don't count on it).
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse takes its 2-0 record westward to face USC... and I head into the district for my first gameday visit to Sign of the Whale since SU Lacrosse lost in overtime to Maryland last May. The place has been great to the Alumni group since we started going there on recommendation from dynamic duo Major D and McLovin... the Batman and Robin of good times at SU Alumni events. I'm hoping for a good showing on the field, at the bar and in the wing basket-- let the record show that last year's drumstick to wing ratio was consistently off the chart (8 to 4) and I'm prepared for bounceback.
Maryland meets #18 West Virginia-- the Terps haven't beaten the Mountaineers since 2003 when they topped them twice. The Mountaineers run a 3-3-5 stack defense that limits the long pass and clamps down on the run- it seems every time you turn around there's that extra defensive back unaccounted for making a big play. Danny O'Brien's concern isn't as much the 3-3-5 as 1-7 (I-20): the Terps were inside the Miami red zone 7 times and came away with just one touchdown. The Terps try to contain Geno Smith-- more of a passing quarterback than Pat White-- and build off of their four-takeaway effort in the opener. Terrapins triumph in all-black uniforms that make David Prowse proud, 28-24.
Virginia visits North Carolina-- for old school Cavalier fans, this is the rivalry. Not the Hokies. And certainly not Maryland. Problem is, UNC's rivalry pecking order has UVa third at best. One of the reasons why the Cavs have started 2-0 is pass protection: only two sacks allowed with 66 passes thrown. A Michael Rocco under pressure is not what coach Mike London dreams about. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels are vying for first place-- with Miami for the "Coastal Division Volatility Award". Butch Davis' departure hasn't kept the Tar Heels from going 2-0... but the Tar Heels haven't won a conference opener in about a decade. The trend holds while Kippy and Buffy have unbeaten argyles--Cavaliers come through, 19-13.
#11 Virginia Tech plays Arkansas State-- it's hard to imagine this is the Hokies first 2-0 start since 2006... and last Saturday's rally past East Carolina was another sluggish September showing by Beamer's bunch. The Red Wolves beat Memphis by 44 last weekend... 44!... which reminds me of a beer we carried at Shorty's in Litchfield, New Hampshire 17 years ago titled "Red Wolf" (not to be confused with Red Dog; I believe one was appointed while the other was elected). I would list the beers (Corona, Bud, Miller, Anchorsteam...) and when I'd get to Red Wolf I'd become magically possessed by the wolf itself, saying "RED WOLF!". I moved more of that crappy beer than anybody else at the Litchfield location or any other (although I don't have the Nashua, NH numbers readily available)-- I didn't control the wolf, THE WOLF controlled me. Hokies harness their inner wolf, 34-12.
Navy falls at #10 South Carolina, Georgetown tops Yale, Howard nips Norfolk State, Richmond rips VMI, James Madison over Liberty, William & Mary smacks New Haven.
Last Week: 7-0 (show me month indeed!). Season: 12-3.
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