So here we are. Midway through a college football season full of bloopers and blunders, toils and fumbles, upsets and?ummm?well, we’re midway through the season.
There have been some surprises (Paterno still being allowed to coach, despite senility) and disappointments (ahem?Boise State?ahem), but overall, it has been an exciting first semester of football.
We saw icons like Auburn, Notre Dame, Texas and LSU handed their first loss (or second, for LSU) of the season, while other big-time bullies like Ohio State, Michigan and USC continue on their way, unfazed.
Urban Meyer and the faithful Gator nation continue to lead Florida to college football supremacy with an undefeated record of their own. Meanwhile, many Utah fans still wonder exactly how many millions of dollars and boxes of Jello it would take to coax Meyer back to the U.
OK, so the Utes picked up an impressive win against TCU last week, but I am still a member of the cynical media-not to mention a Packers fan-and therefore, I’m predisposed to having ill thoughts.
Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig did give us a glimpse of hope with the deep pass to Brent Casteel (not to sound like the Guinness commercials, but catching a tipped pass in the end zone? BRILLIANT!), but went right back to the stagnant drone of boring football we have come to know and love soon afterward. After all, we don’t want to give U fans anything to cheer about, do we?
All said and done, the Utes did pick up the win, and that’s what matters now that we’re in conference play again. Isn’t that right Whitt (chuckle)?
Speaking of the Mountain West Conference, only one team has been ranked in the top 25 (TCU) and no team is still undefeated. BYU continues to creep toward cracking the big list, but an early-season loss to Arizona will probably (God willing) lead to its demise.
Colorado State carries the best overall record in the conference at 4-1, but still hasn’t faced a team that’s worth a damn. Air Force started off the season with a narrow defeat in Tennessee, but has since fallen off after losing to Navy (no, that’s not a typo).
After consecutive losses to BYU and Utah, who the hell even knows where TCU is going to end up?
And the Utes are?well?they are good?ish. Ratliff pulled it together last week, throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns just one week after that (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted) performance against Boise State.
So, what’s going to happen in the MWC the rest of the season? Well, this self-proclaimed sports genius has an answer for just about everything, so I would love to answer that for you.
Semi-bold prediction No. 1:
The BYU/Utah showdown will be for the conference title, and each team will carry one conference loss into the game. Utah’s will more than likely come at the hands of Air Force down in Colorado Springs, while BYU will probably lose to Colorado State. Neither team is svelte enough to go through its MWC slates unscathed.
Semi-bold prediction No. 2:
Eric Weddle gets named All-World at every position on the field. Seriously, if he doesn’t win the (enter defensive award here), I am going to find every voter and go Tom Cruise on his or her ass.
Let’s just say I will be very angry. Never mind-just know he should and will win multiple awards. He can do anything and everything. Ratliff? Grady? Try Weddle. Next.
Semi-bold prediction No. 3:
Air Force, Utah, BYU and TCU will all reach bowl games, but none will end up in the top 25. This will inevitably spur the BCS debate that has occurred since its inception. Officials will then decide it would be best if BCS teams were the only ones allowed to compete in college football.
Not-so-bold prediction No. 1:
San Diego State will lose. A lot. Maybe the rest of ’em. The Aztecs have gone from decent to awful, despite high hopes after Chuck Long came aboard.
Not-so-bold prediction No. 2:
Coach Whittingham will be “angry” again sometime this year, so we will see his “angry face.” Nothing more. Just the angry face.
Not-so-bold prediction No. 3:
The MWC is going to embarrass itself some more. Let’s see, Utah was routed by Boise State, Wyoming lost to down-and-out Syracuse, SDSU got whipped against San Jose State (which I’m not even sure is Division 1-A) and then there’s a 31-3 loss to Nevada (I’m looking at you, UNLV).
These are all in the last two weeks. These are pathetic losses, folks. Next time you ask why the MWC doesn’t have a guaranteed BCS bowl berth, just look at the numbers.
To the good and bad teams in the MWC collectively bombing in front of the nation: Take a bow. I believe your table is ready.
The Associated PressWyoming’s Chris Sundberg makes a one-handed catch as UNM’s Quincy Black has his back turned to the play last Saturday.
