The Sports JayJC: College Gameday's Glorious Return

Saturday September 5th was a day that college football fans all over the world had been anticipating for months since the 2009 BCS Championship game had concluded. Before going into the week, everyone had a clean slate and the possibilities were endless. As teams took the field, the first week displayed a few tough match-ups and had one upset too many as the rankings should be shifted around by a tad bit after Monday night.

You better believe it. They are all back for 2009!
Colt wants to join Sam and Tim. It might just happen.

The defending National Champion Gator squad was honored with the tough #1 preseason ranking and is well deserving of it as they display one of the best all around rosters in all of college football. A defense that is basically the same as last year's championship defense, if not better, and a heisman quarterback who is not only a leader but a guy that every collegiate team dreams of having. Maybe even Georgia and Florida State. The majority of the ESPN world is convinced that no other team is even close to chasing Florida to the title this year and despite their ignorant peanut sized brains, they may be correct. The rest of the group that complete the preseason top 5 consists of Texas, Oklahoma, USC, and Alabama respectively. They were about accurate when it came to putting Texas at number two because it seems like they will be the only team that can match with the loaded Gators if there is such a team.

Brandon Spikes leads a notorious
Florida defense in a hunt for their
third National Championship in just
four years.

So let's get down to business.

Recap.

#1 Florida showed the nation that they are tough but generous as they struck terror into the eyes of Charleston Southern and rocked the world of the Buccaneers. With Tebow only seeing the field for the first half the Gators were able to rout the poor underdogs 62-3. It may not mean much being that the team they played was a nobody but the Gators should clear things up within a few weeks when they enter SEC play.

#2 Texas. Same dealio. The Longhorns defense doesn't even compare to the men of Florida but their offense sure stands out as Heisman candidate Colt McCoy may be the best all around quarterback in the nation this season. Did I just speak too boldly? The truth needs to be heard. The defense will have to progress over the season if they want any shot at Florida though.

UPSET ALERT
First of all, I'd like to say this wasn't really an upset. It was more of a unfortunate event. Can I say that? Last year's Heisman winner may have experienced a nightmare on Saturday night in the second quarter when he fell to the ground with a painful strike to his shoulder and was out for the rest of the game. The All-American heroically decided to come back for another season only to help his team win a championship but they might not even have a shot at it as they suffered an early loss. Falling 14-13 to #20 BYU, the Oklahoma offense was powerless without the presence of their leader behind center. The loss was a big blow to their chances of returning to the National Championship game but luckily for them, they are in the Big 12 and they aren't exactly out of it yet. Better now than later. Just ask Texas.

Without Max Hall, BYU can
forget all about a winning season.
He led an underdog team over a
hurt Sooners squad

#4 USC may be ranked a little higher than they deserve due to their freshman quarterback and losses on defense. Then again, we're talking about the Trojans. A team that features a new star(s) every season and just blows away teams by marginal efforts. That's exactly what USC did on opening day as they bullied their neighbors, San Jose State. The Trojans should be at the top of the rankings for a while. Terrelle Pryor would probably disagree with me? Maybe I'll disagree with me? What?

Looks like practice has payed off a little
earlier than expected. Freshman
Matt Barkley is USC's guy at quarterback.

#5 Alabama escaped a close one in Atlanta Georgia as they played on a neutral field against #7 Virginia Tech in the match-up of the week. The Tide just didn't look like the offense that they had last season and it seemed like Virginia Tech had the edge on them but defense proved once again, that they are the main reason for most football teams' success. Mark Ingram could be the most valuable equation to the Tide's success this season. Don't expect them to waste any time as they will develop their renovated offense in these next two weeks against low status schools before going into their own conference that everyone fears.

It was all defense inside the Georgia Dome on
Saturday night in a heated battle. It was a close
one until the fourth quarter began. It was all
Alabama for the win in the final 15 minutes.

"Series of Unfortunate Events"

Blount's "Classy" Move
LaGarrette Blount may have had the worst individual performance of all time in the entire college football history on opening night as the senior carried eight times for a total of NEGATIVE 5 yards and had two receptions for 13 yards. At least he didn't finish with negative total yards. He can always redeem himself next week. Wait, he can't because he couldn't accept the fact that he had a terrible performance and showed no class by sucker punching one of the Boise State players that was jawing him off. Okay, so you get the unnecessary trash talk to your face by a guy that isn't even that good so what's the point of hitting him? He's going to be working a cubicle in a few years while you're getting paid millions in the NFL. Or, you can hit him and then get suspended for your entire season and probably forget your chances of being drafted. That's the great decision that Blount went with.

Not the wisest move by the senior running back.
You bet he'll think twice before he throws another
punch. And you can be the Boise State fella will
reconsider trash talking in the face of a 6'1" 220
pounder that just endured 60 minutes of frustration.

Trinton's Biggest Test
As Georgia tried to rebound off a disappointing season last year, the offensive line was anchored by redshirt freshman tackle Trinton Sturdivant, a stud at the position that was unable to play last year due to a season ending injury to the knee. The offensive line was said to be one of the best in the nation entering this season but a few things had been altered as the future NFL pro fell to the groun after tweaking the same knee that kept him on the sidelines. After a painful misplacement of his footing, Sturdivant was given the terrible news that once again, he would be out for the season. Two years in a row, the Offensive tackle will not be able to help his program in an effort to be a top team in the SEC. It will take a lot of patience and a very positive attitude for Sturdivant to once again rehabilitate his knee and support his teammates from the sidelines. Get better soon, #77.

Trinton Sturdivant has always been a positive
presence in the locker room and on the field.
Bad things happen to good guys. Sometimes it
just isn't fair but you can bet that the tackle
will be back in action in 2010. The wait is worth it.

Oklahoma's Heisman Curse
Sam bradford made his return to Oklahoma in search for the one thing that his team greatly desired, a BCS Championship trophy. After high expectations in the preseason, young Bradford suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder. Oklahoma's offense not only has to deal with the absence of Jermaine Grisham, but a few weeks will be needed for Sam Bradford to rest before he can behind center for the Sooners. This isn't the first time Oklahoma has dealt with hurt heisman candidates. Jason White was a major injury prone before being selected as the Heisman winner a few years back and current Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suffered a serious injury to his collarbone after being runner up for the Heisman as a young underclassmen.

Heisman winner Sam Bradford may have to wait
it out before they have any chance of making
another appearance to the BCS Championship Game.

Georgia-#24,7
The Bulldogs played their first game without the Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford duo for the first time in two season and it wasn't a pretty one. After a successful opening drive, it seemed as if Joe Cox may have solved the questions and doubts about Georgia's chances this year in competing in the SEC but high hopes were quickly thrown down the drain as the offense looked pathetic throughout the rest of the road trip to Oklahoma State. Despite fantastic defense on one of the most dangerous offenses in the nation, the offense basically lost a game that seemed to be in the control of the Bulldogs. Offensive play calling is about 85% of the blame and we could spend the rest of the portions blaming Joe Cox and Carlton Thomas for their avoidable fumbles inside their own 25 yard line.

Maybe 1% of the blame could go to some of the worst calls made by the referees including a 2nd and 15 call where Rashad Jones' big hit after a dropped catch was called unnecessary roughness and gave Oklahoma State a first down in the red zone. Without being bias, that may have been one of the worst calls. The Cowboys came back the next drive on defense and did the exact same hits on Georgia plays and I sat speechless on the couch as I didn't see any yellow hit the field. Unacceptable.

One big thing that the Dogs will be working on throughout the week will be forcing turnovers. The defense had multiple chances of changing the possession to their favor but they just were not able to capitalize.

#7 and #24 are obviously no longer in Athens so Georgia fans need to get over it and look ahead as the team will need to develop over the season and try to win more than nine games this season in an effort to compete in their conference. Like Oklahoma, Georgia is in the same boat where they suffered a very early loss but took it outside of the conference so their is still plenty of football to be played, Georgia fans. One thing is for sure, let's just say if the Georgia offense doesn't pick themselves up from this past weekends pathetic display, we may have to relive last year's embarrassment in Jacksonville and their will be plenty of Gator chomps to go around.

Coach Mark Richt will have to spend this season finding the
best possible replacement for the golden arm that once graced
a red and black jersey. It may take a while.

Miami/Florida State Monday Night
The first week of the season officially concludes after the former Florida powerhouses face off in a rivalry that has been long existent. The only thing is, these two schools have been trying to pick up their program for the past half decade. Two schools that have displayed some of the best defense in all of football and heisman candidates as well as plenty of All Americans are going to face off tonight in a conference match-up with desires of being back on top of the BCS polls. It may seem like these two programs may never pick up what they used to do back in early 2000 and the last 90's but they are both very close. Just a little touch up here and there and a few big plays and we may see both these teams in the top 10 by the end of the season. Oh it is more likely than you think.

For Miami this is the first of four tough games to open up the season as they follow up with #15 Georgia Tech, #7 Virginia Tech, and #3 Oklahoma. If the Canes can win even half of these match-ups, they will have a shot at reinforcing their school's name in the ACC.

Florida State has a little more expectation as they come into the season as the #18 program in the nation. They will have a lot to prove as they look to start the season off with a win. The Seminoles won't have as much pressure as Miami but they must get themselves organized soon before heading out west to challenge #20 BYU. Florida State is this year's favorite for the ACC Atlantic Division and the ACC championship is exactly where they expect to play in December.

A preview of this year's ACC Championship game? GT fans and Va Tech fans might not like the sound of that but they better not overlook the Canes.

The defense with more turnovers wins this one.