College Football Corner-- So much for buying pants.

September losses are quick rabbit punches to the stomachs of players, coaches and fans alike. Dreams of a national title vanish with a blocked punt and you suddenly have two months to hope for the consolation of a conference crown. (as a Michigan fan growing up, I had the annual loss to Notre Dame-- usually thanks to an Ismail return or a late field goal-- to make my Septembers miserable). I once had a co-worker who was in a wedding band and had a performance he had to make a purchase for... so he needed to get out early. Everything went his way until an unforeseen delay kept him in the building two hours after he should have left. All I heard was "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M STILL HERE! I HAVE TO GO BUY PANTS FOR A GIG IN ANNAPOLIS!" multiple times. Fans and alums go through a summer with a championship or a contender mindset (at Syracuse, we're currently on a road to redemption mindset)... only to realize we're waking up from those dreams rather early. So much for buying pants.

Alma Mater Update-- the Perspective headed west for my annual watching of an SU football game with my roommate from freshman year Big Bob-- and while fun was had in Seattle from Bacon Maple Donuts to Steak and Crab Legs-- the Orange wasted an early ten point lead in a 41-20 loss. Not being able to get any points on back to back scoring chances right before halftime helped close a window that got smashed in the second half with multiple missed tackles. At least we met Floyd Little in the pregame tent. Next up-- Saturday against Maine. Maine? Really?

Maryland (2-0) wrapped up the Old Line State Semi-Round Robin...rolling past Morgan State 62-3 in a game where the Terps had a 6+ touchdown lead at halftime. The last double digit intermission advantage for the home team in College Park? Wake Forest almost two years ago. Terrapin Triumphs-- 221 yards on 44 carries with the classic thunder and lightning combo of Da'Rell Scott and Davin Meggett averaging close to six yards a carry... the Terrapin D held the Bears to 7 of 28 passing and only 37 yards on the ground. Terrapin Troubles-- 10 penalties for 110 yards hearkens back to last year's bunch that made you feel their primary color wasn't red, white or black but YELLOW. And are we seeing a quarterback competition in-season between Jamarr Robinson (7 yards a carry but an 8 for 19 with two interception line for the season) and Danny O'Brien (3 yards rushing and a fumble but three touchdown passes without an INT)? I was always told if you had two starting quarterbacks, you had no starting quarterback. Next up-- Saturday at West Virginia.

Virginia Tech (0-2) doesn't need a calendar-- but learned that fall arrived early for the Hokies... from top ten to falling at home to an FCS/I-AA school. The 21-16 loss to James Madison was just as bad for Boise State though, as now the Broncos' signature win comes with an eraser. Hokie Highlights-- Ryan Williams ran for 91 yards on 20 carries... and VT opted not to wear the black-on-black ugly as sin unis they sported against Boise State. Hokie Humblings-- three turnovers, two from Tyrod Taylor... a defense that allowed 8 and 15 play marches by JMU... and a return game that netted minus four yards. So much for Beamer Ball. Or buying pants. Next up-- Saturday against East Carolina. And anything's possible.


Virginia (1-1) kept it close on the west coast-- falling 17-14 to #16 USC in a game that ended I believe sometime around 5am Monday morning. Cavalier Congrats-- the defense kept the Trojans out of the end zone in the second half and held USC to 5 of 15 on third down... Perry Jones rumbled for 77 yards on 14 carries... Cavalier Concerns-- 4 of 15 on third down... Rick Randolph missed a pair of field goals (35 and 45 yards) that would have made the difference... 9 penalties for 101 yards isn't exactly ideal, either. Next up-- Saturday against VMI.