The Morning After: Week 1

Week 1 is almost in the books and one word comes to mind to describe the college football this weekend: sloppy. If there were a sport that needed at least one preseason game, it's college football. There were several offensive line mistakes, false starts, bad snaps, and several defensive break downs. While it's great that college football is back, it wasn't always pretty this weekend. In fact, most of the games were pretty hard on the eyes. I guess the first week of the season is like a preseason game. Hopefully next week the action improves and we won't see as many mistakes.

Here are my observations from the weekend:

I'm Not Buying Michigan: I've been here done that with Michigan last year. They started hot for the season and then collapsed in conference play. I know Denard Robinson ripped apart the UConn defense, 197 rushing yards and 186 passing yards, but we we're here last season with Tate Foricer. Hell, Michigan fans were ready to build a Foricer statue last year until the Michigan State game happened. All I want to see from Michigan this season is consistency. If Robinson and the Michigan offense stay consistent all year the Wolverines will be a tough team to play next season. Right now though, I'm not buying into them even though they looked impressive.

I'm Also Not Buying Notre Dame: Funny, the two teams I'm not buying into after week 1 play each other on week 2. Been there done that also. This year's team feel's different because Brian Kelly is the coach and not Charlie Weis. Still not buying. The Notre Dame defense is still a work in progress and Dayne Crist is learning on the job at quarterback. I still need a couple of weeks watching them before I'll buy in.



I Wouldn't Worry If I'm a Florida Fan: Like I said, week 1 is like a preseason game for college football. Florida fans should think about that when looking back at their team's victory over Miami(Ohio). Sure their were bad snaps and inconsistency in the offense. Florida is breaking in a new center and were playing without three of their regular offensive lineman. Once those players return and Mike Pouncey figures out how to shotgun a snap, Florida will be fine.

The SEC Though Is Top Heavy: Besides Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia, the rest of the SEC teams either struggled or lost in their first game. LSU almost lost to a depleted UNC team and Ole Miss lost to Jacksonville State, a school that doesn't play in the FBS or in Jacksonville, Florida. The SEC isn't as deep this year as in year's past.

Winners and Losers of the Weekend:
Loser, Ole Miss: The Rebels were probably the biggest losers of the weekend. Not only did they lose to FCS school Jacksonville State in overtime, but they blew a three touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. I guess Jemimah Mosili doesn't make a difference, if your defense can't stop anyone in the fourth quarter. Oh yeah, Ole Miss fans already want Houston Nutt fired. 



Winner, Mountain West: The Mountain West once again proved that they're not a conference that teams want to mess with. As expected bottom feeder's New Mexico, Colorado State, and UNLV lost, but non of the other Mountain West teams lost. Utah defeated Pitt and TCU defeated Oregon State to prove the conference is for real.

Loser, The Big East: Conference favorites Pittsburgh, UConn, and Cincinnati all lost over the weekend. Sure those games were on the road, but not one of those schools won at least one of those games? Worst of all UConn and Cincinnati were dominated. Can someone explain to me again why this conference gets an automatic bid into a BCS bowl game, while Boise State and Utah have to go undefeated for a spot in a BCS game?

Winner, Georgia QB Aaron Murray: Gone are the days the Ginger Ninja throwing interceptions, and in are the days of Aaron Murray. Redshirt Freshman Aaron Murray threw three touchdowns and ran for another in Georgia's rout of Louisiana-Lafayette. Quite the change from the Joe Cox/Ginger Ninja days. And Georgia was without A.J. Green and Washaun Ealey.

Loser, Pac-10: While Oregon, Stanford, Arizona, USC, and Cal were impressive in their games, the Pac-10 was still a loser this past weekend. Teams in the conference expected to be solid or at least improved this season Oregon State, Washington, UCLA all lost. Washington and Oregon State both lost to Mountain West schools. Another mediocre year in the Pac-10.

Other Winners: TCU QB Andy Dalton, Penn State QB Robert Bolden, Michigan QB Denard Robinson, and Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter

Other Losers: Tate Forcier, Les Miles, Oklahoma's defense, Kansas and the beginning of the Turner Gill era, Washington QB Jake Locker

Blowout of the Week, Oregon 72 New Mexico 0: Everyone knew New Mexico was bad, but they couldn't even score a touchdown after Oregon pulled their starters for the start of the 2nd half. Oregon scored 59 points alone in the first half and eased up in the 2nd half only scoring 13 points. Has New Mexico coach Mike Locksley punched anyone yet?

Good Story of the Week: Twenty months after being diagnosed with bone cancer, Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich returned to the football. It was only in limited time (he recorded four tackles in 20 snaps) but for Herzlich to return to the field at all after battling cancer is something into itself.

Play of the week: I can't even describe fully the craziness that was the in a single paragraph. Just know the game ended on this play.



BCS and Heisman Forecast:  My Heisman winner and BCS game participants are a little different this week from last week.

National Championship Game: Ohio State vs. Alabama
Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Boise State
Fiesta Bowl: Georgia vs. Nebraska
Orange Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech
Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. UConn
Heisman: Kendall Hunter, Running Back, Oklahoma State

Thanks again for the support of KSK. Check back later today for a live blog of the Virginia Tech-Boise State game. Leave your thoughts about this column in the comments section.