| Here are some random thoughts on last | | | | Johnson.Here are the numbers, and you decide: |
| weekend's college football action:- My favorite fan | | | | Manningham - 21 catches, 452 yards, 21.5 |
| poster of the weekend was one I saw at Iowa | | | | average and 7 touchdowns. |
| behind the College Gameday set. The sign read: "I | | | | Johnson - 25 catches, 426 yards, 17.0 average |
| skipped my sister's wedding to come to the | | | | and 7 touchdowns.Remember, Manningham has |
| Game of the Year! Sorry Jill." That's classic. But it | | | | Steve Breaston (19 catches) on the other side, |
| was another sign in that same crowd that really | | | | while Johnson has no one with more than 12 |
| peaked my interest. A kid in Florida Gators colors | | | | catches.- What in good God's name was going on |
| held one and it read: "Give Tebow The | | | | with that Virginia-Duke line last week? The |
| Heisman!"Senior starter Chris Leak is, to some, a | | | | Cavaliers began as more than a touchdown |
| legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Yet, he can't | | | | favorite but the line kept trickling down to a close |
| even get respect from his own fans. What | | | | of just -4. I loved this game, but got scared off |
| gives?In a way, I understand how Gators fans | | | | the line by the movement. Paranoia crept in during |
| can be torn. Freshman Tim Tebow had to bail | | | | the dark of night, seizing my senses and |
| Leak out in Tennessee on a critical | | | | overwhelming reason. The result: no play.Yeah, so |
| fourth-and-one, and it wasn't until Tebow made an | | | | Virginia kicked the crap out of the Blue Devils |
| appearance in the second half that the Gators got | | | | 37-0. And the only thing I was surprised by was |
| it going against Alabama. He's feisty, he's the | | | | my own stupidity. What can you do? And I still, |
| spark off the bench, and he's the most popular | | | | for the life of me, can't figure out how Duke |
| guy on the team - the backup QB. Also, Tebow is | | | | covered against Wake Forest in week two. I'm |
| a freshman so he's soaked that magic word: | | | | still bitter.- Looking at the AP Polls, two things |
| Potential. And that can be as intoxicating as jungle | | | | jump out at me. First, there's no way Georgia |
| juice at a frat house.But Leak is the one who | | | | should be No. 10. They're juggling high school |
| makes the machine work in Florida. The Gators | | | | quarterbacks, and the regular "starter" Joe |
| aren't going to run the table in the SEC, but that | | | | Tereshinski has about 15 seconds of actual |
| doesn't mean they can't have a fantastic season | | | | experience. They're receivers drop almost as |
| and possibly make a national title run. But after | | | | many passes as the Falcons, and though the |
| they lose to either LSU or Auburn - no chance | | | | defense is first-rate they've still had to come |
| they win both - the only thing that could derail | | | | from behind to beat Colorado and Ole Miss.On the |
| their year is if Urban Meyer gets an itchy trigger | | | | flip side, Clemson should be ranked higher than 15. |
| finger with Leak.- I still don't think anyone is ready | | | | Their one loss was in overtime at Boston College |
| to embrace Ohio State as a classic, elite, | | | | when their extra point was blocked. The Tigers |
| juggernaut, unanimous national title shoo-in. The | | | | are second in the nation in scoring and are the |
| Buckeyes are like a Rachel McAdams - better | | | | least shaky team in a very suspect ACC. I'll be |
| looking than you think, and solid in everything they | | | | surprised if they don't win the league title, and |
| do. But college fans and writers are still seduced | | | | think after they railroad Wake Forest this week |
| by teams like Florida or USC, which are like a | | | | they'll find their way into the Top 10.- Here are |
| Jessica Alba - incredibly hot, but not much | | | | some quick-hit thoughts for you: |
| substance when it comes to taking care of | | | | TCU looked extremely flat for a team trying to |
| business.Even Vegas oddsmakers appear to be | | | | extend the nation's longest winning streak.Boise |
| seduced by the Alba ass, because they are still | | | | State looked like a team on a mission against |
| undervaluing Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been | | | | Utah, but it will be interesting to see if they can |
| an ATM machine, posting 12 straight against the | | | | bring that intensity on the road for a second |
| spread victories dating back to last year. That's | | | | week in a row. The same thing goes for |
| unheard of for a team with such national | | | | Oregon.South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe will |
| exposure.The reason is partially their outstanding | | | | be a solid NFL quarterback someday. That kid |
| play, but partially soft lines. During that 12-game | | | | makes all the throws, and has a lot of moxie for |
| run the Buckeyes have faced only two spreads | | | | a freshman.I agree that Northern Illinois running |
| of more than 20 points. Comparatively, Texas | | | | back Garrett Wolfe should be in the Heisman |
| saw seven spreads of more than 20 points last | | | | discussion but there's no way he wins |
| year during its 10-2 ATS season. The Longhorns | | | | it.Washington State showed a lot of heart last |
| saw only two single-digit lines - against Ohio State | | | | weekend, and if NT Sedrick Ellis and WR Dwayne |
| and Southern Cal.- In the third quarter of its game | | | | Jarrett don't play this weekend then Washington |
| at South Carolina the Auburn Tigers horded the | | | | could hang around with USC.Tebow's late fumble |
| ball like Iranian royalty hording their country's oil | | | | against Alabama showed why it's so important to |
| fortune. The Tigers offense had possession for | | | | bet a favorite that you like early in the week.How |
| the entire - I mean ENTIRE - third quarter and | | | | is Illinois celebrating on anyone's home field? And |
| put the squeeze on the Cocks en route to a | | | | how hilarious was that John L. Williams meltdown. |
| 24-10 lead. My bet at Auburn (-13.5) was looking | | | | PLAYOFFS!?!?- So, you think Arizona State coach |
| smooth.But then at the most critical junction of | | | | Dirk Koetter is second-guessing the way he dealt |
| that game the Tigers looked tentative. I was | | | | with his preseason quarterback situation? |
| expecting to see the killer instinct of a national | | | | Essentially it was a lose-lose-lose situation. |
| championship contender. Instead I saw | | | | Koettner's Sun Devils are going down in flames. |
| hesitancy.South Carolina's first second-half | | | | Rudy Carpenter is completing just 54 percent of |
| possession didn't take place until there was just | | | | his passes and has nine interceptions in his five |
| 14:11 left in the game. If Auburn had attacked S. | | | | games. Sam Keller is on his way to Nebraska, |
| Carolina and forced a three-and-out it could've | | | | where he will have to sit out a year for |
| gotten ugly. Instead, their scheme was passive. | | | | transferring. What a mess.- Here's your weekly |
| They only rushed three defenders and fell back | | | | update on nonconference records by BCS |
| into a soft zone. Naturally, the Cocks got in a | | | | schools:ACC: 3-0 straight-up, 1-1 against the |
| rhythm offensively and scored a touchdown. | | | | spread (20-10 SU, 7-17 ATS for the season) |
| After Auburn got shut down, it was then back in | | | | Big East: 4-1 SU, 3-1 ATS (25-8 SU, 20-6 ATS) |
| the hands of USC and Auburn avoided overtime | | | | Big 10: 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS (28-9 SU, 17-14 ATS) |
| only because of dropped passes.- Who is the best | | | | Big 12: 2-0 SU, 0-0 ATS (33-14 SU, 19-13 ATS) |
| receiver in college football? And before you | | | | Pac 10: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS (20-7 SU, 10-14 ATS) |
| automatically say "Mario Manningham", the | | | | SEC: 3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS (25-7 SU, 15-14 |
| Heisman candidate from Michigan, I have another | | | | ATS)Questions or comments for Robert? |
| name for you to consider: Georgia Tech's Calvin | | | | |