College Football Wrap Up

I finally got to have my first full Saturday in the Back Yard shanty last week and despite a lackluster assortment of games and a heartbreaking Nebraska debacle, I came away pretty happy.

Everything shaped up pretty much how I expected. USC isn't as good as we thought. Florida State isn't as bad as we thought and Jahvid Best is a beast.

USC vs. Washington

Like I said, USC is continually going to lose 1-2 games like this a year and I'm beginning to think Pete Carroll has a lot to do with that. I think this is ultimately the price a program plays for having a players' coach. Sure, these guys love playing for Pete and he can get them jacked to play the Ohio State's and Oklahoma's of the world but when it comes to the easy and mundane, their focus isn't there. Sometimes guys have to be scared, prodded and railroaded into keeping their focus and I don't think that is Carroll's way. But they win 9-10 games a year so that's good enough.

Texas vs. Texas Tech

I didn't watch this one too closely. I had accepted an invite to Boscoe's housewarming affair and hanging out on the porch and drinking Boone's Farm sounded more enticing than the game. I do give Tech credit for keeping it close. I took the Horns is my evening parlay and it ruined my perfect streak in the BYB picks. I heard a rumor Sunday that Colt McCoy had the flu before the game and was sick as hell, but excuses are irrelevant and the Raiders look better than I thought they'd be.

Florida vs. Tennessee

Maybe we should have all seen this coming because we were all too focused on the other side of the pendulum. I think after a week of the conversation centered on the possibility Florida would run the score up on Tennessee, it was easy for the Gators to become distracted, but they still won. I give Lane Kiffin credit for having the Vols ready to play. Maybe we were all too quick to write them off after the UCLA loss.

Florida State vs. BYU

Here's my other great call of the weekend. I'm sure the Noles were tired of hearing the criticism and all the acclaim for Miami. They needed to make a statement on a national stage that they were back as well. Mission accomplished. Way to go Bobby Bowden!