Afterbirth (Week 1)

You know... the stuff that just kind of falls out when the party's over.

Quickies

I didn’t put the Illinois vs Missouri game on my picks for Week 1, but I should have. I admit it, I was a slacker. Going into the game, I had a hard time deciding which team to pick. In retrospect, when in doubt, always pick against the team that is coached by Ron Zook.

Is Alabama that good? Or is Clemson that bad? Alabama’s defense held the Tigers to 188 total yards, including – get this – 0 net yards rushing, while the Tide ran very well behind a mammoth offensive line. QB John Parker Wilson looked calm and relatively efficient (22 of 30 for 180 yards and two TD’s), and the Tide held the ball for more than 41 minutes. Seriously, is that the best that the ACC has to offer?

Tennessee should be ashamed of themselves for playing vanilla defense in the second half against UCLA, and making Kevin Craft look like Johnny Unitas. They should have attacked the young quarterback fiercely, repeatedly, and not let him get hot and build his confidence. Even I know that.

Isn't That Special?

How ironic that the team known, above all else, for special teams play, was victimized by a special teams breakdown. East Carolina blocked a Virginia Tech punt with 1:52 left in the game and returned it for a touchdown to seal the victory in one of the weekend's big upsets.

The Two Utes

Other than the Vols and the Bruins, the best game on TV was Utah's win over Michigan. Why didn't I have the stones to pick the Utes? And can anyone say "Utes" without thinking of this moment from My Cousin Vinny?