I've long maintained that September is "Show Me Month" in college football... a time to get your first sampling of the new starters and schemes. Will your longtime backup quarterback be able to build on what last year's starter did? Or will you wind up going through plan B, C, D and E? Show Me Month is a time to find out what new wrinkles your team added (uniforms included) and what sort of ceiling (or floor) your squad has this fall. Can the Hokies be in the National Championship mix? Will Maryland build off last year's 9-4 mark and contend for an ACC title? How many Coastal Division teams can the Cavaliers climb past? September's month of possibilities always has the chance of a loss to William & Mary or a rout at California or an 0-2 start to torpedo respective dreams... but even then you're shown something.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse kicked off the season by rallying past Wake Forest in overtime; a thrilling finish that saw the unveiling of the Pinstripe Bowl banner. Now after five years in the wilderness I'm not going to sell short any postseason appearance... but it's tough to jump up and down over a bowl that was tacked on to last year's schedule (at least they won this one though-- unlike the 1985 Cherry Bowl). Saturday the Orange face Rhode Island-- as ghosts from the 1988 Chapel Hill Subregional awake.
Virginia Tech at East Carolina-- three years ago the Hokies were ambushed by the Pirates in a 27-22 loss thanks to a blocked punt of all things. BEAMER BALL? The sharp focus that mowed down Appalachian State continues for the Hokies... although ECU put up 37 points on South Carolina last Saturday. Somehow I have a feeling that the ol' ballcoach didn't really focus on getting the Gamecocks defense ready for opening night as it would've interfered with his golf game. Hokies harness a road victory as the Pirates prepare for another crazy Halloween... 27-16.
Virginia at Indiana-- two schools better known for basketball try to live down recent tough times by facing off on the football field. And as IU hoops emerges from the crater created by Kelvin Sampson, their football program has another coach in place: Kevin Wilson's the fifth hire since the removal of alltime winningest coach Bill Mallory in 1997-- and even Mallory won just 38% of his Big Ten games. How bad have things been in Bloomington? You have to go back to 1951 to find a coach who won even 40% of his conference games. Cavaliers with their superior gridiron legacy handle the Hoosiers, 20-14.
Navy tops Western Kentucky, Georgetown leaps past Lafayette, Howard gets by Morehouse, James Madison nips Central Connecticut State, Richmond rolls past Wagner.
Last Week: 5-3.
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