Big East Games

Cincinnati (+17½) at Penn State Cincinnati struggled to beat perennial MAC doormat Eastern Michigan last week while Penn State beat up on fellow Big East newcomer South Florida. The first two week’s of the 2005 season should show Penn State why they should be a member of the Big East Conference as they run their record to 2-0 in THAT conference………

Penn State 34 Cincinnati 17

Buffalo at Syracuse (-24) Buffalo flexed it’s muscle last week losing 38-0 to UConn. The Orange may have only scored seven points against WVU last week, but I think that had more to do with the Mountaineers’ great defense than Syracuse’s lack of talent. Plus, Buffalo is always good for the opposition’s ego………

Syracuse 34 Buffalo 3

Pitt (-14½ ) at Ohio Dave Wannstedt’s debut as Pitt’s coach was not pretty as Notre Dame came into Pittsburgh last Saturday night and spanked the Panthers in front of a national television audience. This week the Panthers travel to Athens, Ohio to take on the Bobcats Friday night in a game televised on ESPN2. Panther QB Tyler Palko steps up his leadership this week and shows that the Panthers are much better than they played against the Irish………

Pitt 45 Ohio 17

Liberty at UConn (NL) The Flames come into this game with a 1-0 record wining their opening game 17-6. Who did they play you ask? Concord: As in the Concord Mountain Lions of the Division II WVIAC. American Revolutionary Patrick Henry once stated “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!" For those of you who don’t know, the Britisth gave him death. The Huskies repeat history as they put out the Flames and tune up for a visit to Georgia Tech next week……..

UConn 65 Liberty 6

Villanova at Rutgers (NL) Last weekend proved why Rutgers will not be a contender this season as they blew a 27-10 fourth quarter lead at Illinois and lost in overtime. They simply do not know how to win. The talent is there, but they have to get over that psychological barrier before they can be a winner. The Scarlet Knights will even their record after this game, but it will be tougher than most expect…………

Rutgers 34 Villanova 24

Florida A&M at South Florida (NL) South Florida played respectably versus Penn State last week on the road. They come home to battle a probation laden Florida A&M team which is in disarray. Besides, everyone knows Bulls trample Rattlers…….

USF 41 FAMU 13

Wofford at West Virginia (NL) Many people are asking why WVU is playing this game against a I-AA opponent. The reason: WVU was scheduled to play Central Florida, but UCF bought out their contract earlier this year and left WVU scrambling to find a replacement. Hmmmm. Kind of sounds like the same thing that team in Huntington did back in 1999. Maybe Wofford’s President will lobby at the steps of the State capital too in hopes of creating a future series of games. Nah, the Terriers will just go home with their tail between their legs and lick their wounds…………..

WVU 45 Wofford 6

Top 25

#2 Texas (+1) at #4Ohio State Who’s the contender and who’s the pretender? The game of the day takes place in Columbus as Texas and Heisman candidate Vince Young roll into “The Horseshoe" to take on the Buckeyes for an 8:00pm game on ABC. Both teams won convincingly last week and are looking to prove that they are national championship contenders. The problem that I see for the Buckeyes is that they have a quarterback controversy. Justin Zwick played very well for the suspended Troy Smith in last week’s opener against Miami (OH) and the team appears torn between the two QB’s. Meanwhile, there is no such controversy in Austin as Young is firmly entrenched as the Longhorns QB and team leader. “Hook ‘Em Horns!"…………

Texas 21 Ohio State 20

#20 Notre Dame (+7) at #3 Michigan Has Notre Dame found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with new coach Charlie Weis? Yes they have, but he’s not Rumplestilskin just yet. Give him a few years of recruiting first. The bottom line is that Michigan is a well-coached team and currently has more talent on their roster than do the Irish………

Michigan 20 Notre Dame 14

#5 LSU (+1½) at #15 Arizona State This game was to be played in Baton Rouge, but was moved to Tempe due to the fallout from Hurricane Katrina and the fact that the LSU campus is full of refugees from New Orleans. The hurricane also forced LSU to postpone their opener last week while ASU spanked Temple in their opener. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN and new LSU coach Les Miles will have his team sky high and playing for an entire state when they enter this game. In a break from all of the chaos…………

LSU 27 Arizona State 24

#7 Virginia Tech (-20½) at Duke Duke began the season as a three point favorite against East Carolina. Duke? A favorite?!!! You guessed it. They lost…as usual. Things don’t get any better for the Blue Devils this week as the Hokies come off a big conference win on the road over NC State……………

Virginia Tech 45 Duke 13

#8 Iowa at Iowa State (+8½) The battle for Iowa bragging rights take place in Ames this year as the Cyclones look to break a two game losing streak against their state rivals. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is one of the best college coaches in the country and has turned Iowa into a perennial Top 10 team. His state counterpart, Dan McCarney, took a huge gamble with his career by accepting the head post at Iowa State. McCarney has been overlooked for the miracle he has performed in Ames as the Cyclones were one of the worst college teams in America prior to his arrival. Five of the past six years this game has been extremely competitive…and it will be again this year as Cyclones QB Bret Meyer keeps ISU in the game…………

Iowa 28 Iowa State 24

South Carolina at # 9 Georgia (-18½) The old ball coach got his first win as a Gamecock last week. It’s a good thing because he wouldn’t have gotten it this week………

Georgia 45 South Carolina 17

Louisiana Tech (-29½) at #10 Florida Urban Meyer won his first game as well for the Gators last week. It looks like it’s going to take Gator QB Chris Leak a few weeks to have complete grasp of Meyer’s new offense. The Florida faithful hopes he speeds up the process as Tennessee comes to Gainsville next week for a showdown that may determine the SEC East. La Tech was not only ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, but by graduation as well, losing star RB Ryan Moats. Bulldogs QB Matt Kubic is talented, but does not have a great supporting cast……

Florida 38 La Tech 17

The Citadel at #11 Florida State (NL) The Seminoles got a huge break when their annual “Wide Left" not only occurred for them, but for the Hurricanes as well. On Miami’s last minute attempt to tie the game with a field goal, Miami’s center snapped the ball “Wide Left" and Florida State held on to break a six game losing streak against the ‘Canes. This week the Seminoles get a breather against I-AA Citadel before new ACC member Boston College comes to Tallahassee….

FSU 44 Citadel 9

Akron (+35½) at Purdue This is the season opener for these to Midwest schools. Purdue again looks to be contender for the Big Ten title while Akron hopes that Pitt transfer QB Luke Getsey is the next coming of recently graduated QB Charlie Frye …..

Purdue 51 Akron 17

#16 California (-9) at Washington Tyrone Willingham lost his debut as Huskies coach to Air Force. Meanwhile, the Bears lost starting QB Nate Longshore to a broken leg in last week’s opening season victory against Sacramento State. The second string Bear QB is still better than the Huskies #1 QB………..

Cal 41 Washington 16

North Carolina (+12) at # 17 Georgia Tech Georgia Tech stunned Auburn in last week’s opener as the Yellow Jackets ended the Tigers 15 game winning streak. Coach John Bunting’s Tar Heels look to use last year’s Continental Tire Bowl bid and their regular season victory over Miami as a catalyst for the 2005 campaign. It’s almost impossible for a team to play consecutive games at such a high emotional level as Georgia Tech did last week, but the Ramblin’ Wreck faithful will give them enough support to get by Carolina…………..

Georgia Tech 31 UNC 20

Tulsa at #18 Oklahoma (-30½) The Sooners can’t play a game soon enough to get rid of that sick feeling in their stomach courtesy of their 17-10 loss to TCU last week. This is just what the doctor ordered. Tulsa gave up 536 total yards to Minnesota in their home opener last week………………

Oklahoma 45 Tulsa 3

Army (+28) at #19 Boston College Bobby Ross was a great hire for the US Military Academy last year. However, his cupboard was almost bare when he took over the storied Cadets program. Coach Tom O’Brien’s Eagles captured a nice road win at BYU last week and travel to Florida State next week for their first ACC game. Will BC look ahead? Yes……..

Boston College 31 Army 10

Florida International at #21 Texas Tech (-34½) Red Raiders Coach Mike Leach is 6-0 in season openers since taking over the helm of the Texas Tech program. Florida International hasn’t even had a football program for that many years. The Golden Panthers enter their fourth year of football, at any level, in 2005. In what could be the biggest blowout of the day………

Texas Tech 70 FIU 14

#22 TCU (+14½) at SMU The Horned Frogs enter this game brimming with confidence after beating Oklahoma in Norman last Saturday. SMU has been hosting the Tulane football program the past week after Hurricane Katrina forced the Green Wave to seek refuge elsewhere. In the battle for Dallas bragging rights……

TCU 35 SMU 17

Weber State at #24 Fresno State (NL) Fresno State coach Pat Hill has gone on record numerous times stating his Bulldogs will take on anyone, anytime, at any place. I don’t think this is what he had in mind…………

Fresno State 51 Weber State 10

#25 Clemson (+2) at Maryland Clemson kicked a game winning FG as time expired to beat a very talented Texas A&M team at Death Valley last week. Maryland overcame a 14-6 halftime deficit to defeat Navy 23-20 last week in College Park. Was Maryland looking ahead? I don’t think so. Maryland QB Sam Hollenbach may have been the hero for the Terrapins last week, but he was also the hero to many corners and safeties last year…………..

Clemson 24 Maryland 17

Here’s to another great weekend of the greatest game on earth. Enjoy the games!