Buckle up those chin straps people, the real season starts this weekend.  There are more big games in the next 36 hours than there are NBA players facing paternity suits.  This weekend will be college football’s equivalent of the PGA’s moving day.  The top echelon teams face their first true tests of the 2003 season.  We could emerge from the weekend with a true elite if OU, Miami and the Buckeyes take care of business or we could have total anarchy in the land of BCS.  The college FB fan looks at this weekend the way Mama Cass  looked at buffets.  This season has been crazy enough, what with the MAC looking like a big dog conference and some perennial powers looking like dog food.  If Florida doesn’t stop the bleeding by upsetting LSU Saturday, there may be more Ron Zooks hanging (in effigy) in Florida than chads.  Joe Paterno and Penn State will take their weird, sad act on the road  in an attempt to become 2-5 when Purdue beats them. Somebody, please keep Joe Pa from under the cute little Purdue train which runs around Ross-Aide. Notre Dame continues its run off the cliff of football respectability when the Irish  put their 1-4 record on the line at Pittsburgh. We even have a Friday night game with Michigan playing at Minnesota.  Lloyd Carr will stop whining just long enough to watch as John Navarre continues to lead his team to a nice December bowl game somewhere in Texas.  Enough of the appetizers, lets look at the three of games of national significance.

 

Miami at Florida State:  The Seminoles have looked to be close to their old selves in the early part of this season.  Miami should have lost to both Florida and West Virginia already.  With Frank Gore out, the only running Miami has will be done by Kellen Winslow’s mouth.  FSU’s defense will make Brock Berlin look like post-war Berlin.  If Chris Rix can just not screw up too much, the Noles should regain the state championship.

 

OU vs Texas:  The scene, surrounding this game was once aptly described by Dan Jenkins as a “Prison riot with co-eds.”  Two storied teams meet in the middle of the Texas State Fair in the ancient Cotton Bowl.  Only Texans could consider Dallas to be a neutral site.  Still, the Sooners have had their way with the Horns in the Stoops era.  Once again the boys from Norman have the better team.  Since the Horns removed the pressure and much of the expectations they had by losing to Arkansas, they should enter this circus in a relaxed frame of mind.  OU has the better(much) team, the better (much, much)coaching and more to play for.  Therefore, since it makes absolutely no sense, I’m following contrarian logic and picking the Horns to upset the top-ranked Sooners.

 

Ohio State at Wisconsin:  The Badgers like to run the ball.  The Buckeyes’ defense is the best at taking the run away.  Wisconsin has some very talented receivers, but OSU has Chris Gamble.  It will come down to several questions.  Is Anthony Davis healthy?  If not, can the Badgers running back du jour prove effective?  Is Sorgi good enough and is the Badger passing scheme good enough to exploit the Wisconsin’s #2 and #3 receivers match-up with Dustin Fox and the rest of the OSU secondary.  The answer to all the above questions is NO.  The OSU D-line and linebackers will harass Sorgi into an unpleasant evening.  By Sunday morning Sorgi will not only be the Badger QB’s  name it will be how he feels.  As long as the Buckeyes do not take a 24-7 lead they should be OK.  For some reason the 24-7 point seems to render OSU unconscious until the final seconds.  Yes, the Badgers will make it close, and may move the ball in the early goings, and yes, the Camp Randall fans will be loud and crazy and yes, the OSU offense will cause us to bleed internally.  In the end, though, the Buckeyes’ defense will find a way to stuff the Badgers and the Krenzel will milk just enough from the offense to prevail.

            Put fresh batteries in the remote, and bottle of Visine in your pocket and let the fun begin.