2010 College Football: Boise St-Virginia Tech

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Boise St 33, Virginia Tech 30.

That is what college football is all about baby.

What felt like an old school duel turned into a capitalistic shootout. What started as a Boise St. route became an assured Virginia Tech (the Ghetto Hokes in those uni's) comeback. Boise St. quarterback Kellen Moore evolved from softly coiling into fetal position (albeit after a Bradshaw clothesline) to cooler than a cucumber. Tyrod Taylor (Ty-Tay, Tay Day, Twyce) transformed from confused to fast to gunshy to downright dominant to Seneca Wallace to Barry Sanders and, finally, to Tyler Thigpen (not good in 4th quarters). Frank Beamer's special teams downgraded from a calling card to a liability. Chris Peterson went from pumping fists to, well, pumping fists. The game started with a flea flicker and finished with a game-losing breadbasket drop. And College Football just entered all of our dinner plates. Time to eat up.

I thought the game might have been over at 17-0 Boise St, but they hadn't really proved much by that point. They had scored their points on a fumbled snap, a blocked punt, and a roughing the punter call. I considered the Hokies the favorite entering the 2nd half only being down 20-14. Tech's biggest problem was that they got conservative once gaining the lead, while never gaining full power over the Boise St offense. There was no reason to think they would stop the Broncos on their final drive with plenty of time remaining. Despite thinking that Boise St was the lesser team through most of the game, their 2nd half play was very impressive. They stepped up when it mattered, and they earned that victory (didn't think they had 3 quarters through).

This being said, I don't believe they are deserving of a National Championship bid just yet (if at all). First off, we don't even know how good Virginia Tech will turn out to be. If they turn out to go 7-5, there's no chance. Secondly, respect in college football is gained through consistency and longevity. Bringing it week in and week out is what makes running the gauntlet so daunting. In other words, it would take special circumstance for me to choose Boise St over any one loss BCS team (Big East excluded).

If a one-loss Nebraska team misses out on a National Championship because of Boise St, today will have been a travesty.

Keep an eye on Boise St traveling to Wyoming next week, led by fellow Shawnee Mission West Viking, David Leonard. Animal Style In n' Out Sandwich game. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Regardless, College Football is back. And I don't mean that as in the season is starting. I mean it as in College Football is about to grab hold of the nation like a mini basketball. And I credit Nebraska for this, for effectively killing the spread.

Top 25 On its way through the printing press as we speak....

Dirkness

2010 College Football Preview: PREDICTIONS

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It's prediction time baby. Time to separate the men from the boys. And me, I'm a man. I'm 24! My annual laundry list of predictions consist of records for every Big 12 team, the surprise team and champions of every conference (big or small), and the combatants and winners of the BCS Bowl Games. And if the heisman was still relevant, I'd predict that too (Ok, Jacquizz Rodgers). Lets light this candle...

Big 12~

North:
1. Nebraska 10-2 (7-1)
2. Missouri 9-3 (5-3)
3. Kansas St. 7-5 (4-4)
4. Iowa St. 5-7 (3-5)
5. Kansas 4-8 (2-6)
6. Colorado 3-9 (1-7)

South:
1. Oklahoma 10-2 (7-1)
2. Texas 10-2 (6-2)
3. Texas A&M 8-4 (5-3)
4. Baylor 8-4 (5-3)
5. Texas Tech 5-7 (2-6)
6. Oklahoma St. 5-7 (1-7)


Conference Champions:


ACC- Virginia Tech over Florida St.
Surprise- Georgia Tech

Big East- Pittsburgh
Surprise- UConn

Big 10- Ohio St.
Surprise- Michigan

Big 12- Oklahoma over Nebraska
Surprise- Baylor

Conference USA- Houston over Central Florida
Surprise- SMU

MAC- Northern Illinois over Temple
Surprise- Golden Flashes of Kent St.

Mountain West- TCU
Surprise- The Wyoming David Leonards

Pac-10- Oregon St.
Surprise- Arizona

SEC- Alabama over Florida
Surprise- Kentucky

Sun Belt- Middle Tennessee St.
Surprise- This conference still exists

WAC- Boise St.
Surprise- Nevada


BCS Bowl Games


Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma over Boise St.
Orange Bowl: Miami over Oregon
Rose Bowl: Iowa over Oregon St.
Sugar Bowl: Alabama over Pitt
National Championship: Ohio St. over Virginia Tech


These picks were made while under the influence and are all subject to change...

FOOTBALL!!!

His Dirkness