While the rest of you are pouting because summer has come and gone with a blink of an eye, I’m celebrating.
Why?
Because my holiday just began.
With the debut of college football just days away, I get to enjoy the next four months like it’s a 120-day Christmas because, well it’s truly the most wonderful time of my year.
With the reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram back in a college uniform, as well as a slew of Bowl Championship Series (BCS) busting talent, 2010 has a lot of hype to live up to.
With that being said, I’ve narrowed down the “Ben there, done that top-5 college football must sees this weekend.” Cheesy, I know, but I’m excited.
No. 5: Miami (OH) at No. 4 Florida. OK, I realize this will be a cakewalk, probably the Gators by 40, maybe 50. But I am intrigued to see how John Brantley will perform in his first start during the post-Tim Tebow era.
Brantley has a lot of upside, but replacing a legend with a plaque outside the stadium is definitely must-see television.
No. 4: No. 21 LSU vs. No. 18 North Carolina. If you like hard-nosed football with plenty of big hits, this is your game to watch this weekend. The Tigers and Tar Heels will head to Atlanta’s Georgia Dome in one of three top-25 matchups in week one. North Carolina boasts arguably the top linebacker corps in the nation, and LSU’s head coach Les Miles is on the hot seat. Expect a thriller when the Tigers face the Tar Heels defense.
No. 3: No. 14 USC at Hawaii. This game is spotlighted for all the wrong reasons, but an important one to watch nonetheless. Over the summer the NCAA cracked the whip on the Trojans, issuing sanctions for the 2005 Reggie Bush scandal and stripping their chances of playing in a bowl game, at least for this year. It will be interesting to see how Lane Kiffin in his first year as the USC head man will motivate his new squad in its trip to paradise on the ESPN Thursday night showcase.
No. 2: No. 24 Oregon State vs. No. 6 TCU. The Beavers travel to the Lone Star State in a battle with the Horned Frogs inside Jerry Jones’ mega place that is Cowboy Stadium. Oregon State has been plagued in recent years after suffering notoriously bad starts that ultimately doomed them at season’s end. Beavers head coach Mike Riley has stressed his team’s need for a fast start, but he will be stiffly tested by TCU, which finished 12-1 in 2009.
No. 1: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech. College football junkies, such as me, love to see this kind of match up to kickoff the year. Monday night the Broncos will travel to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in arguably Boise State’s most important game of the year. If Boise State wins, they put themselves on the fast track to BCS history. If they lose, well, they are then at the mercy of the poll voters. Don’t sleep on Virginia Tech, which sports perhaps the most prolific backfield in college football with Ryan Williams and Darren Evans.