I’m a huge college football fan. I love the matchups of teams that run different styles of offenses and defenses, which is why college ball is so much more entertaining than the NFL. I also love to analyze games, but I’m pretty lazy when it comes to writing/typing it all out. We’ll see if I have the time and energy to do this again.
Mississippi State versus Kansas State
Miss State has amassed some pretty good talent over the last few years, certainly by their standards, but Dan Mullen isn’t in Starkville any longer. K-State seems to be moving in the opposite direction. IMO, this isn’t Bill Snyder’s pre-Ron Prince Wildcat team. The timeless one is still coaching up 3 star talent, but they just don’t have the random playmakers they once did. Who are these teams? I plan to watch and find out.
Arizona versus Houston
Kevin Sumlin’s Wildcats couldn’t quite get over the hump last week against BYU. They have some playmakers, starting of course with dynamic QB Khalil Tate, but can Sumlin bring their chaos into order? Tate ran all over the field last Saturday, but struggled connecting with receivers. He really didn’t even look like a poor man’s Johnny Manziel. It was kind of pathetic for a “Heisman candidate.” Will playing Cougars a second week in a row end better for Arizona?
Duke versus Northwestern
The battle of the athletic nerds. I don’t really care about either of these teams, but it’s a matchup of similar schools with former sad sack programs that have been pretty decent for several years. Should be fun to watch.
Georgia Tech versus South Florida
GT is always entertaining because their option attack is foreign to most teams they play. Defending the option in a one-off often represents a challenge to defenses because they just don’t defend the option frequently. It allows GT to do more with less. And Charlie Strong’s teams, as we well know, often manage to do less with more. I’m curious to see how the Fightin’ Charlies do, much like I’m curious about major car accidents.
UCLA versus Oklahoma
Fuck OU. There, I said it. It’d be great if a steamroller managed to flatten their team buses on the way to the stadium one week. People have been singing their praises after they ran all over Lane Kiffen’s overmatched FAU squad last weekend, but that game was never expected to be close. UCLA has more talent, but Wilton Speight? If he’s the answer, somebody asked a stupid question. The Bruins were unimpressive in Chip Kelly’s debut against Cincinnati. He’s an asshole and the Sooners are fucktards. Something’s gotta give.
Georgia versus South Carolina
How will the best players money can buy fare against a raging Will Muschamp?
Colorado versus Nebraska
A renewal of a rivalry from days when both teams had high aspirations. Can Scott Frost revive the Big Red Machine?
North Carolina versus East Carolina
I didn’t even realize East Carolina was a state. This is very confusing. I do have a feeling this season may be Larry Fedora’s swan song at UNC. They sure have sucked lately. And after the years of cheating in Chapel Hill, they have nothing to show for it.
Iowa State versus Iowa
This is a low-key rivalry that most college football fans don’t pay much attention to. I am interested in seeing if the Cyclones are back with another exciting year of beating some teams they shouldn’t and building a better program for the future. Matt Campbell is a great coach, but Iowa is traditionally the much more accomplished and heralded program (for whatever that’s worth). The Hawkeyes edged out the Cyclones last year, despite the Cyclones’ resurgence. One thing’s for sure: the Cyclones won’t sneak up on the Hawkeyes.
Tulsa versus Texas
Meh. Texas better come out fired up and put the Golden Hurricane away from the kickoff. Herman is finding out the spotlight in Austin will melt a coach quickly.
Clemson versus Texas A&M.
Last week, aggy was back! against the Little Sisters of the Poor. This week, reality is going to knock their teeth out. If fan enthusiasm won games, I'd give this one to the ags. It doesn't. Unless the 12th Man is a lockdown corner or a road grading O-Lineman, the Tigers are going to fuck the perpetual shit talking aggies up. I'm sure Leon O'Neal will run his mouth until time runs out, just to be sure. Of course, Jimbo Fisher has won a national championship...back when he wasn't a low-T cuckold and when his team was actually talented. Too many holes in this A&M squad. Pooooor aggies.
USC versus Stanford
Another “who are these teams?” game. Stanford often has workmanlike years in which they seem to quietly break teams and win games by a FG or a TD. And they sometimes stub their toes against teams they should easily put away. Who is the 2018 Cardinal? And how will SC fare without Sam Darnold?
Thoughts? What games are y’all interested in?