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Week 1 confidence boosters and busters

Submitted by SHNS on Thu, 09/04/2008 - 13:57

College football's opening weekend, as usual, delivered some surprising confidence boosters and busters. And, some expected statements from the power elite.As always, pundits and fans are sizing them up -- by the numbers.After Alabama's 34-10 domination of then No. 9 Clemson, there's reason for the folks in Tuscaloosa to be talking up another SEC title, or even a national title. The Tide lays claim to 12; it's about time they started thinking about No. 13.No. 1 Southern Cal and No.3 Ohio State were already entertaining thoughts of another national championship, and respective drubbings of Virginia, 52-7, and Youngstown State, 43-0, did nothing to stifle their title aspirations. However, the Trojans-Buckeyes showdown next Saturday in Los Angeles will for one of them.The Tide's thrashing of the Tigers in Atlanta was impressive on a number of fronts: Alabama, a 4-1/2-point underdog, held the ACC's top-rated offense to 188 yards, zero rushing.Alabama's running back combo of freshman Mark Ingram and junior Glen Coffee stole the "Thunder" and the "Lightning" from Clemson's James Davis and C.J. Spiller, who combined for just 20 yards. The Tide tandem combined for 186.But rather than buying into the notion No. 13 Bama could rise above No. 7 LSU and No. 9 Auburn in the SEC West to challenge No. 2 Georgia or No. 5 Florida for the conference crown, The Unbalanced Line has this perspective: Clemson was an overrated team from a weak ACC, and the Tigers have a history of not living up to expectations, especially under coach Tommy Bowden.Also, if we've learned anything from preseason prognostications, it's that quite often they're fallible. To wit, then No. 25 Pitt, a 14-1/2-point favorite, losing at home by 10 to Bowling Green; East Carolina stealing the show from then No. 17 Virginia Tech, 27-22, in Blacksburg; and Arkansas State, a 20-point underdog, knocking off Texas A&M, 18-14, in College Station.And how about No. 23 UCLA's 27-24 overtime victory over then No. 18 Tennessee Monday night in Los Angeles? Talk about a confidence booster and buster.As for Utah's 25-23 "upset" of Michigan in the Big House, even though the Utes were 3-point dogs, that wasn't really a surprise. Not when you consider the talent they had coming back and the talent Michigan lost. Utah outgained Michigan, 341-203. If not for 137 penalty yards, the previously unranked and now No. 22 Utes would have won by at least two touchdowns.Makes you wonder what the coaches were thinking when they ranked Michigan No. 24 in the preseason USA Today poll. The Wolverines lost eight offensive starters and have a new coach, Rich Rodriguez, who runs a spread offense, but don't have the quarterback and skill players necessary to run that scheme effectively.In the meantime, the spread is still alive and well at West Virginia, with senior quarterback Pat White running the show. And it just so happens Saturday's most intriguing matchup features the Mountaineers against East Carolina in Greenville.If No. 8 West Virginia doesn't shore up its defense (21 points to I-AA Villanova), the Pirates could pull off another upset. Their strong suit is defense, and their offense outgained Virginia Tech, 369-243.Okay, so maybe more people will tune in to Florida vs. Miami Saturday night in Gainesville. More will also tune out by halftime, once the Gators get rolling. The Hurricanes are 21-point underdogs for a reason.Still, for the most part, caution is the key word, when forecasting based on the first week of play.No. 15 BYU beat Northern Iowa, 41-17, while No. 18 Oregon hammered Washington, 41-10. Everything points to a Cougars' victory over Washington Saturday in Seattle. Then again, maybe the Huskies can muster up the wherewithal to save coach Tyrone Willingham's job.He's not the only one in dire straits. If Buffalo knocks off Pittsburgh Saturday, you can be assured Dave Wannstedt will be sent packing. Back-to-back losses at home to a MAC opponent would seal his fate.Patience for Wannstedt to produce at Pittsburgh is wearing as thin as it is for Bowden at Clemson.As for Clemson and Bama, as good as the Tide looked last Saturday, the Tigers still have a far better chance of winning their conference than the Tide have of winning theirs.Chances are, Clemson will be 7-1 when it meets Florida State Nov. 8 in Tallahassee. Of its next seven opponents, only one, No. 20 Wake Forest, is ranked. Alabama will face at least two ranked opponents in that time -- No. 1 Georgia and No. 7 LSU -- plus Tennessee, and all of them on the road. And, there's the Nov. 29 Iron Bowl against No. 10 Auburn. Nuff said.(Contact John Tucker at jtucker@unionleader.com) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)