>>> LaGarrette Blount’s “punch heard around the college football world” set the tone for what feels like it’ll be a strange season. For those who missed it – which is only possible if you don’t have ESPN – Blount went ‘thug life’ on Boise State defensive end Byron Hout after the Ducks fell to the Broncos, cold-cocking big boy right in the jaw.
Kudos to Oregon for acting quickly and suspending Blount for the season, inevitably ending the collegiate career of the JUCO transfer in his senior season. Still, that shouldn’t give the program a free pass. The Ducks and head coach Chip Kelly deserve some heat. This happened to their program and on their watch – game one for a new coach filling the big shoes of Mike Bellotti.
If the University of Miami was chastised for the FIU brawl – something that took place in the heat of battle, not after the game – then the University of Oregon needs to take some grief for one of their student athletes going postal on an opponent and fan base. The year long suspension was bold, but it doesn’t erase what happened.
>>> Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is down for the count. The verdict, a sprained AC joint with more to come. The Heisman winner’s injury coupled with the temporary loss of tight end Jermaine Gresham (knee) doesn’t bode well for the Sooners… nor does the shoddy offensive line play, a unit in rebuild mode with only one returning starter.
There are no guarantees in this game and you better have the football gods on your side if you’re going to make a run. When this morning started, OU was penciled into the title game by some. By nightfall, upset by No. 20 BYU and their title dreams derailed.
For the Florida fans already booking their airfare to Pasadena… Texas fans who swear it’s Colt McCoy’s year, chill. There’s a lot of ball left to be played this season. Anything can happen.
Miami fans, takes notice as well. Those calling for x-amount of wins needed for Randy Shannon to ‘save’ his job, that’s bogus. See where 2009 goes. Pray these kids stay healthy and take this season game-by-game. Employ some logic. Don’t make it about emotion and knee-jerk reactions.
>>> I’ve received some predictions from friends and fans this week regarding Miami and Florida State on Monday night – all high scoring, all predicting a blowout. We’ll see.
Look at the scores we’re seeing early on. South Carolina 7, NC State 3… Boise State 19, Oregon 8… BYU 14, Oklahoma 13. The only real blowouts are coming where there are mismatches. Two quality teams – conference foes, big time rivals and both with solid defenses – aren’t going to blow it up game one.
I read today that Miami coaches are quietly confident that the Canes can offensively exploit the Noles’ defensive holes. I’d love nothing more, but I’ll believe it when I see it. At day’s end, this is Miami and Florida State. A hard-fought match up with a lot of pride on both sides of the ball. While I’m board and believe the Canes will win, I can’t picture a blowout and high scoring affair. If I were a betting man, I’d take Miami +6 and the under. We’ll see, though.
>>> For any critics ripping on the ACC, turn your focus to the Big Ten – a conference comparable to the Big East, these days. No. 6 Ohio State needs a mini miracle to knock off Navy – at home? Indiana 19, Eastern Kentucky 13? Illinois on the wrong side of a 37-9 beat down to Missouri? Wisconsin in a 28-20 battle with Northern Illinois?
Yeah, Penn State took down Akron, 31-7. Michigan State whooped Montana State, 44-2. Even Michigan got back to winning ways with a 31-7 beat down of Western Michigan… but let’s be honest, the conference is a slow, pasty joke.
Even with true freshmen Matt Barkley starting for Southern Cal next week, who in their right mind would put money on Ohio State – at home – in that one?
>>> … and as easy as it is to rip the Big Ten, the ACC is proving even worse (though expectations weren’t as high and No. 6 didn’t almost lose to a service academy.)
On Thursday night NC State didn’t show up against South Carolina. Today, Wake Forest falls to Baylor. Virginia loses to William & Mary. Duke got beat by Richmond. Virginia Tech hung tough, but was eventually out-muscled by Alabama.
The lone conference win; Clemson beat mighty Middle Tennessee and come Monday, the only two teams that can truly turn around this lackluster conference. Miami was brought on board to challenge Florida State annually for ACC supremacy. Since joining the ACC, the rivalry has been a watered down version of what it once was.
Will that change on Labor Day? Probably not. But it could set the stage for a potential ACC title match up in December if both teams have jelled. The conference is wide open and talent-wise, no one has more muscle than the Canes and Noles.
Let’s hope for a hard-hitting game that earns the ACC an ounce of respect week one.
>>> Virginia Tech held their own against Alabama, but Tyrod Taylor still isn’t setting the world on fire at quarterback. For all the recent success the Hokies have had, their offense remains elementary and they’re again relying on special teams and defense to carry them. Mindboggling how this team is ranked No. 7 and some in the media were pegging them as a title game dark horse.
If Mark Whipple is all he’s cracked up to be as a coordinator and play caller, Miami should be able to hang with anybody on their schedule. Especially with the holes Florida State has on defense, the lack of points Virginia Tech will put up offensively and an injury-plagued Oklahoma bunch whose season just went in the tank.
>>> Kudos to LSU for making the cross country trek to Washington for their season opener. Too bad the rest of the SEC is full of sissies who rarely leave home and instead choose to schedule the likes of Charleston Southern, Troy and Florida International out of conference – and all at The Swamp.
Same to be said for Georgia, heading to Oklahoma State for this year’s season opener – which they lost – and a trip to Arizona State last year.
>>> Speaking of dummy Gators, laughing at all the Florida fans who took the Florida -73 today. I hope you gambled away your trailer park rent checks. (I kid… sort of.)
Speed kills? So does greed. You don’t ever take a 73-point spread. That’s a horrible bet. Too bad Urban Meyer couldn’t tack on another late score like he did last year when Florida covered against Miami.
Damn. Wish I'd seen that line. I'd have put 500 on it!
In the interest of accuracy I have to point out that Georgia Tech, Boston College, and North Carolina also had wins Saturday over Jacksonville State, Northeastern, and The Citadel, respectively. Not exactly quality opponents, but if the conference is trying to retain any shred of national credibilty it's way better than being on the losing end of those games.
n the interest of accuracy I have to point out that Georgia Tech, Boston College, and North Carolina also had wins Saturday over Jacksonville State, Northeastern, and The Citadel, respectively. Not exactly quality opponents, but if the conference is trying to retain any shred of national credibilty it's way better than being on the losing end of those games.
Georgia Tech, Boston College and North Carolina beat up nobodies. Those wins were akin to preseason NFL games.
Any shred of national credibility the ACC wanted went out the window when the MIGHTY Russell Wilson and NC State lost 7-3 to an average South Carolina team… or when Virginia lost to William & Mary. Absolutely pathetic.
I'm in San Antonio. Interestingly, the sports talk radio station here can't cover the Oregon mess without talking about the UM-FIU brawl. Constantly. And they play the Lamar Thomas tape on top of it. As far as I know, this has nothing to do with The U, but these clowns want to make it appear that way. So frustrating.
you know i live in virginia and people always ask me…why dont you pull for your virginia schools in football…i alawys tell them…well one i was raised on miami football…from parents who are alumni of the U…but two…because virginia football is always overated…from the highschool ranks to UVA to VA TECH…i mean year after year i have to listen to the bullshit that is promoted in this state about these schools…it is a joke…if alabama played in the first half the way they did the second half..they would have hung 50 on va tech…tech gave up almost 250 yards of rushing to the tide…i was loving every minute of it…knowing the stable of running backs we have…i will be in blacksburg…and i am looking forward to the ass kicking we are going to give them…how does a team that is only good on special teams and some decent defense get ranked #7…amazing to me…
but the kicker to me was the UVA loss to william & mary…let me say that again…william & mary…former 1-AA school…now FCS or whatever that is…william & mary in williamsburg, VA…you ride through that town in around 15 minutes going down 64 headed to the beach…what a joke…duke is duke and the university of richmond i actually pull for …i am from and live in the city of richmond…richmond did win the national title last year in 1-AA…but come on…duke is a acc school…and did when 4-5 games last year?…the acc was made to look real bad this weekend…the canes need to emerge tomorrow night and make a statement…that they are for real …that we are coming back
and c, florida will always do that schedule three to four cupcakes each year for three to four wins ..just getting those w's up so they can get to 10 every year no matter what…that school is all about rankings and money..they pay cheap to i read they only paid charleston southern 450k to take that ass whippin…but yeah other state schools like texas pay la monroe 850k to take it…florida…they are classy …we all know that…ha
i will be in tally tomorrow night for the game..hope to see some of the bloggers here at the game…peace
LETS GO CANES
VA CANE
I think we should put together a professional, download-able pdf which expresses inaccuracies evident in referencing The University of Miami in light of any & all present day "thug outbreaks" within the ranks of college football. Much like the Tampa Bay Rays submitted to media outlets & personalities when he or she referred to the team as the "Devil Rays". Under a University letterhead, it would reference the number of UiF arrests, FSU acts of misconduct, Tennessee felons & so on (all with updated statistics) even leaving a spot for addressing the offending party(ies) preferred team (because, good chance is, they have more than a departed mirror basher in their closet). When any & all U fans across the nation hear such an inacurracy, he or she simply prints out the notice, personalizes it to the offender(s) & politely lets the US Postal office do their good work.
Just a thought. Also, that moment just before impact caught in your headline is priceless.
You have to give credit to Georgia as well in the SEC. They went out to ASU last year and Ok State yesterday. Those boys actually aren't scared to man up and travel either. As far as the Gators, well their schedules speak for themselves – afraid to leave The Swamp unless they have to. Scrubs.
-Columbus Cane
Trust me. Gator fans this year weren't any more thrilled about palying CS this year than Canes fans were about playing them last year. Hell, they were only on the schedule this year because UCF back out of our deal with them a few years ago leaving UF scrambling for anybody to fill this game. And while the Knights aren't exactly world beaters, they'd be a much better opponent than CS. They only lost to you guys by 6 last year so they can't be that bad, right? But hopefully our game with FIU goes a little more smoothly.
I really don't like the way we schedule, but UF has one of the wealthiest athletics programs in America and the football scheduling plays a key role in that. That isn't about to change. It sucks, but it is what it is.
Exactly one year later and you're still whining about a FG? Haha. But all jabs aside and in the spirit of "Handshake Week", good luck in Tallacrappy tomorrow. I can't say I'll actually be rooting for you guys, but FSU has more to lose so seeing them go down won't bother me much.
I agree that at UF it's all about money, nothing else. Example, Ohio State is also a very wealthy athletic program, they don't need to schedule big non-conf games, but they do. (USC 2008-09, Miami 2010-11, Cal 2012-13, Virginia Tech 2014-15, Oklahoma 2016-17, Tennessee 2018-19) Now I'm far from a Buckeye fan, but at least they schedule tough non-conf games and MOST importantly..games there FANS/Alum want to see. That's what its all about. Props to them. Florida hasn't announced any big future non-conf games (Tentatively Miami 2013, USF 2015) but that's it.
A couple of thoughts on Monday Nights game:
– How "well" is Jacory's shoulder? He said it's fine, but he hasn't taken any shots this spring or fall has he? I hope it has fully healed over the off-season. We'll see after he takes some shots.
– How hurt is Telemaque? I hear it's his left shoulder? (same as injured from last year) Hope he gets better soon! I don't want to see him miss another season!
– Javarris James = Tomorrow's player of the game! Go get em JJ!
CANES areeeeeee dy-na-mite! The Canes are dynamite!!!!!!!!
WE READY!
Lets GO Canes!