Williams

Dean Stoneman has won a test drive with the AT&T Williams Formula One Team after securing victory in the 2010 Formula Two championship. The British driver started the first race in Valencia with a 31 point gap over his closest rival Jolyon Palmer, and finished two places behind to win the championship with one race remaining.

Palmer gained an advantage in qualifying for the first race in Valencia by qualifying seventh, while Stoneman only managed to qualify 11th. Italian driver Nicola De Marco started on pole position ahead of Benjamin Lariche.

De Marco led from the start despite pressure from Will Bratt, who took advantage of two of the drivers around him crashing out to move up to second. Armaan Ebrahim stayed in third position and claimed his first podium, finishing 16.605 seconds behind second placed Bratt and a further 1.210 seconds behind race winner De Marco.

Elsewhere, Stoneman made up two places on the opening lap to leave him ninth, staying close behind a battle between championship contender Palmer and Belgian driver Benjamin Bailly for seventh. Despite holding off Bailly, Palmer could only finish seventh, which gave him six points, but Stoneman's ninth place gained two vital points in his title challenge, leaving him with a unassailable 27 point advantage in the championship with one race remaining.

As well as getting a test in F1 with Williams in Abu Dhabi later this year, he has earned a FIA superlicense to allow him to race in F1, which was also awarded to Palmer in second place and the competitor in third place, which will not be decided until the second race in Valencia later today.

Dean Stoneman started his career in karting, before competing in various Formula Renault 2.0 UK BARC and Winter Series races between 2006 and 2008, before finishing fourth in the 2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship. In his first season of the Formula Two championship this year, he has won six races so far and has been on the podium 12 times.

Alfred Williams – Hall of Famer

On May 26th, the College Football Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2010. There were fourteen names on the list, including those familiar to many college football fans – names like Desmond Howard (Michigan), Pat Tillman (Arizona State), Randy Cross (UCLA), Sam Cunningham (USC), and Mark Herrmann (Purdue), along with retired coaches Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin) and Gene Stallings (Texas A&M, Alabama).

There was also one former Colorado Buffalo, All-American linebacker Alfred Williams.

“I’m so proud and honored by this, but it’s a tribute to my teammates and coaches,” said Williams upon learning of his selection. “A lot of people deserve to go into the College Football Hall of Fame, but they select so few. So I am both humble and proud to represent all my teammates as the first to go in from our national championship team … Everyone knows how I feel about the University of Colorado and my love for the school.”

Colorado may be Williams’ first love today, but it wasn’t always that way …

“The University of Colorado wasn’t high on my list”

Williams was part of the 1987 recruiting class which included Eric Bieniemy, George Hemingway, Jay Leeuwenburg, Kanavis McGhee, Mike Pritchard, and Joel Steed. While these recruits would go to help Colorado to three straight Big Eight titles, they came to Boulder to join a program which had posted one winning season (7-5 in 1985) in the past eight seasons.

“For me, it was topsy-turvy time with all the teams that were looking at me,” said Williams of his recruitment. “CU didn’t stack up really high with the programs I was looking at … what really changed everything was when I came down to Boulder for a visit.”

The trip to Boulder didn’t start out well.  “On my flight the smoking section was one row behind me. It was my first time leaving Texas, and the smoke gave me a terrible headache … and then it snowed like crap the first day,” said Williams. “I thought, ‘It may be pretty here, but this was not right for me’ “.

Fortunately for the Colorado football program, the following day was a picture perfect Boulder day. “The snow was melting, and there were little streams running through the university. I remember looking around campus and thinking it was really cool,” said Williams, who was from a tough neighborhood in Houston. “I decided I just wanted to go somewhere totally different than where I was from. My decision was more about the University of Colorado than football.”

Another recruit from the 1987 class, Kanavis McGhee, was also from Houston. While the pair would become an effective linebacker tandem at Colorado, they did not sign on with the Buffs as a package. “We didn’t know each other were going to CU. It just kind of happened like that,” said McGhee. “We played at rival high schools, so we kind of knew each other, but we didn’t know we were both going to CU until signing day.”

Record Setter

Williams made an impact at the University of Colorado almost from the beginning.

As a true freshman, Williams played in all 11 games, registering six sacks despite playing in only about half of the defensive snaps. As a sophomore, Williams racked up numbers against Iowa which many players would find difficult to accumulate in a career. In a game in which he was named national defensive player-of-the-week, Williams had seven tackles, four for loss. He also had two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a pass deflection and a blocked punt as the Buffs defeated the Hawkeyes, 24-21, in a statement game for the program. For his 56 tackle, six sack season in 1988, Williams was named as a second team All-Big Eight performer.

And he was just getting warmed up …

In both his junior and senior seasons, 1989 and 1990, Williams was named first team All-Big Eight, and was also the Big Eight’s Defensive Player-of-the-Year in both seasons. As a junior, Williams had 81 tackles, including 16 for losses and 10 1/2 sacks; as a senior, Williams upped the numbers to 88, 21, and 12 1/2. Williams finished his career as the Buffs’ all-time sack leader, with 35 (for comparison’s sake, the Buffs’ active sack leader is senior defensive end Marquez Herrod, who has ten career sacks). Williams also is the all-time leader in tackles for loss, registering 59 for 303 yards.

“He was the type of guy who played his best in the big games,” said Williams’ college coach, Bill McCartney. “When he was physically and emotionally prepared, he was dominant. When we needed him most, he came up big.”

With Colorado being successful on the field, increased national recognition came to Williams as well. Williams was a consensus All-American linebacker as a junior, and a unanimous pick as All-American as a senior. Before his senior year, Williams was named to the prestigious Playboy All-American team. Williams became the first Colorado Buffalo to win a post-season trophy when he was named the 1990 Butkus Award winner, given to the nation’s top linebacker.

Thanks for the Memories

When asked to look back at his days in Boulder, Williams has made special note about four games in his career at Boulder. The first came against Illinios at home in 1989 – it was Sal Aunese’s last game with his Buff teammates (http://www.cuatthegame.com/1989/10-illinois-jeff-george-farewell-to-sal/).

The other three came in 1990, the Buffs’ national championship season.

Against Texas, the Buffs were down 22-14 before rallying to defeat the Longhorns, 29-22 (http://www.cuatthegame.com/1990/22-texas-bieniemy-rallies-the-troops-in-austin/). The Nebraska game, on the road, provided another great comeback. “The Nebraska game is special because we came back and perserved under great duress,” said Williams of the 27-12 victory. “Just understanding how important the game was to the university, the team, the entire campus … it was monumental.” (http://www.cuatthegame.com/1990/cu-vs-nebraska-nov-3-1990/).

The final game on the Williams’ list is not the national championship game, but rather the last home game of his collegiate career, a rout of Kansas State. Colorado already had its ticket punched for the Orange Bowl, and the game was a 64-3 laugher. What made the game memorable for Williams was not his 17-yard reception, when he was inserted as a tight end, but rather a touchdown scored by senior running back, O.C. Oliver. A fan favorite, Oliver had become overshadowed in the backfield with the emergence of Eric Bieniemy. Still, Williams, the consummate teammate, was happy for the reserve back when he got to play against the Wildcats. When Oliver scored a touchdown late, “we met him and carried him off the field,” said Williams. “He was important to the progam … The look on O.C.’s face was something I’ll never forget.” (http://www.cuatthegame.com/1990/kansas-state-passing-the-torch/).

Winning the national championship, of course, is a special memory unto itself. Though Williams would go on to play in 128 games in his NFL career (a first round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1991 draft), go to the Pro Bowl (1996), and win two Super Bowl rings (1997-98), the Buff linebacker still calls the win over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl the apex of his football career. “Winning the national championship was no doubt the highlight,” said Williams. “When you get paid, you’re supposed to do those things; that’s the way I feel … There’s really no NFL moment to rival it. The amount of talent on both teams (Colorado and Notre Dame); they way we competed; a pair of Hall of Fame coaches. It was just huge. You can’t dream up the kind of experience I had … nobody would believe the movie. They’d say it didn’t happen.” (http://www.cuatthegame.com/1991/5-notre-dame-orange-bowl-national-champions/).

“Everyday is Alfred Williams Day”

Saturday, September 18, 2010, is designated as Alfred Williams Day by the University of Colorado, with Williams to be honored by the University and the Buff Nation at halftime of the Colorado/Hawaii game.

“Our hats are off to Alfred for his prominence on the football field beyond CU,” said Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn, “but also what he continues to stand for as it relates to our football program, athletic department, and the entire university. Many feel it is more than appropriate that Alfred is the first to go in from the national championship team. Not only because what he meant to the team, but how he has represented and supported the University through the years.”

Williams, for his part, is looking forward to partying with his former teammates, both this weekend and during the Georgia game, when the entire 1990 national championship team will be honored. “I’m so grateful because of the incredible friendships we made that have lasted,” said Williams. “If my football career would have ended with my last college game, I would have been alright with that. Our legacy at CU is intact, and the celebrations planned for these next two games give us a chance to revisit it.”

The last word I’ll leave to the Colorado contribution to the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010  …

“I think we all know that not every day is going to be a good day, but we believe it will be,” said Williams. “Why have a bad day when you’ve got the option to make it a good day? This (Saturday) is going to be a good day, I know it. But every time I’m on campus. I believe it’s ‘Alfred Williams Day’ “.

Houston vs. UCLA
Pick: Houston -3 -110 odds
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I’ve bet and cashed against UCLA in each of their first two games, and there’s absolutely no reason to hop off the anti-Bruins train here. Rick Neuheisel’s squad was besieged with injuries in each of the last two seasons, and so far, that trend has continued. Starting quarterback Kevin Prince has been limited since the first day of practice, suffering from a slightly torn back muscle. He was benched in the second half last week, but is expected to line up behind center again here; bad news for a confidence-less team that lost 35-0 at home with Prince last Saturday.

Prince’s ailments are just the tip of the iceberg with significant injury concerns on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Bruins will be missing Xavier Su’a Filo (mission), Jeff Baca (academics), Nik Abele (neck) and Kai Maiava (ankle). Stanley Hasiek flunked out of school. Eddie Williams has missed a bunch of practice time with concussion issues, although he is expected to suit up. The injuries and attrition don’t end there. Star defensive end Datone Jones – their only returning starter on the defensive line – broke his foot in practice. Offensive tackle Mike Harris (18 career starts) was suspended for the opener and didn’t see the field last week. This team is noticeably weak on both the offensive and defensive lines.

This line is sitting at -3 because of concerns about the health of Houston quarterback Case Keenum. I’m willing to support the Cougars whether Keenum plays or not – backup Cotton Turner can fill the void if necessary. Houston won SU on the road at Oklahoma State and Mississippi State last year; two teams that are better than UCLA. They’ve scored 31+ in each of their last eight road games; bad news for a downtrodden Bruins offense that averaged 23 ppg in ’06, 22 ppg in ’07, 18 ppg in ’08 and 22 ppg last year. UCLA just can’t trade points with an offense of this caliber. (#191) 2* Take Houston.

With Michigan's fast Denard type start.  You might think that some recruits that were waiting to see how Michigan will do this year are seriously interested in Mich-again. Here is a small sampling of some positives things happening for the Wolverines right not on recruiting trail:

• The Florida Duo of Sammy Watkins and Dallas Crawford are planning another un-official visit for the Iowa game in October.  Both wanted to keep their official visit for after the season.  So it seems these two young men are pretty serious about Michigan.  They also visited A2 for the Spring Game as well.

• Teammates/OL from Chicago will be in town this weekend: Chris Bryant, a 6'5 330 OL in the 2011 class and Jordan Diamond a 6'6 290 pound OL in the 2012 class (one of the top players in the 2012 class) will be at the Big House this weekend for a visit.   TomVH gave us some insight in to Jordan's visit:   "I just wanted to see one of my favorite college teams play, and see what it's like to be in the Big House live."

• Michigan verbal Tony Posada was on ESPNU last night but his team lost.

• Marquise Williams a verbal to UNC is still planning a Michigan visit.   

• Michigan's high priority recruit Kris Frost is visiting Auburn this weekend.  Auburn insiders believe Kris favors them over Michigan right now.  Let's hope that isn't true.   

• Dee Hart will also be visiting Auburn this weekend.  I hope he and Kris put a plan together to commit to the Wolverines.  Dee is planning on enrolling early, so a decision should be coming soon.

• Anthony Zettel skipped his official visit to Iowa last weekend to watch the ND - Michigan game.  It would be nice if the Wolverines could get a commitment from Anthony this Fall.

Team News and Notes:

• Michigan  Defensive lineman Renaldo Sagesse is rated the 5th player in the 2011 CFL Canadian draft.
• Let there be light!  The permanent lights for the Big House was approved and will go in this Fall.

Michigan MASH report for the UMass game:

Out:
John Ferrara
Brandon Herron
Carvin Johnson
Mike Jones
Jared Van Slyke
Mike Williams
Troy Woolfolk

Questionable, 50%:
Junior Hemingway
Marvin Robinson

Probable, 75%:
Fitzgerald Toussaint


Mike Williams and Marvin Robinson are somewhat surprising to be on the list.  That is another bad sign for the depth at defensive back.  It seems Williams has a concussion.   It would also be good to see Junior and Fitz get a chance to play.  If they are not healthy this week, let's hope they see the field next week.

Make sure you check out the UMass Preview Below!

AccuScore  – Cincinnati vs. NC State Betting Prediction
By Jonathan Lee, AccuScore (September 16th 2010)

Both these teams are playing for respect, and getting a big win on Thursday with the spotlight on themselves will certainly help. Cincinnati is winning in 59% of simulations by 4.2 points on average.

Cincy got an easy win over Indiana State last week, but found a running back in Darrin Williams. The sophomore got just one carry in the opener, but rushed 13 times for 117 yards against the Sycamores. With starter Isaiah Pead a game-time decision, the emergence of Williams is big. Currently AccuScore projects Pead and Williams to share carries against the Wolfpack. If both are at full strength, it will give defenses more things to handle in addition to quarterback Zach Collaros. Collaros is projected to throw for over 300 yards. If he can keep his touchdown-to-interception ratio at better than 2:1 along with the big yardage the Bearcats project to win 75% of the time.

For North Carolina State to win, it will need to follow the same formula it did last week against Central Florida: limit mistakes and force turnovers. The Wolfpack wins 56% of simulations when it commits fewer turnovers. A conservative game plan also means a running game to complement quarterback Russell Wilson. Running back Mustafa Greene averages 41 yards per simulations, but if he can score on the ground (22%) he would help NC State become the slight 51% favorite.

Neither team was good against the spread last season being a combined 9-13. AccuScore has gone 13-6 picking game winners combined on ACC and Big East teams going against non-conference competition.

**
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Kim Clijsters made it 20 straight victories at the US Open by coming from a set down against Venus Williams to give herself the chance to defend her US Open championship today. Vera Zvonareva will be making her second consecutive final after she upset Caroline Wozniacki in her semi final. Kim Clijsters comes into the final as favourite despite losing her two most recent meetings against the Russian.

Venus Williams gave Kim Clijsters a tough test of character in their semi final encounter after she took the opening set. A few double faults in the second set tie breaker proved costly for the American, as Clijsters took advantage before breaking at the business end of the set and serving out for victory. Kim Clijsters has been favourite throughout this tournament, and rightly so. Her experience and ability to hold nerve in these situations will be a key factor in Saturday’s match, but ultimately her skill and determination is what will see the Belgian prevail.

Route to final:
1 Greta Arn 6-0, 7-5
2 Sally Peers 6-2, 6-1
3 Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-0
4 Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1
QF Samantha Stosur 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
SF Venus Williams 4-6, 7-6, 6-4

Vera Zvonareva produced a top performance in her semi final victory over Caroline Wozniacki. The Russian came in as the underdog and even I didn’t see her prevailing before the match. But she did not lose her cool or drop her concentration when she rallied her way to victory. The Dane had no response to her efforts as Zvonareva booked herself in only her second career Grand Slam final, having lost to Serena Williams at Wimbledon in July in her first. Although she’s beginning to write off her reputation has being a choker, I see that playing a part in this match.

Route to final:
1 Zuzana Kucova 6-2, 6-1
2 Sabine Lisicki 6-1, 7-6
3 Alexandra Dulgheru 6-2, 7-6
4 Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 6-2
QF Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 7-5
SF Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3

Two highly competitve players and both on top of their game right now. Expect a gruelling battle between these two, but I also expect to see Kim Clijsters being the winner of the crunch points; the one’s that win you these types of matches.

Pick: Kim Clijsters

Live from the Impact Zone, TNA gives us No Surrender.  This is the last stop before the big one itself,   Bound For Glory, on 10-10-10.  The card itself, at least on paper seemed a little thrown together, but there was still potential for some very good matches.  So did it deliver?  Read on and find out.

Motor City Machine Guns  vs  Generation Me.

     That’s right, Generation Me.  The excuse was, that for personal reasons, Magnus and Desmond Wolfe couldn’t compete.  Fine by me.  As much as I like Magnus and Wolfe, I was very happy to see the Buck brothers take their place.  We have seen what they can do with the guns in the past, so this was a very pleasant surprise.  And boy did these two teams deliver.  As you would expect, there was plenty of high flying action, and crazy spots.  But this time around there was a bit more storytelling going on, and in the end, the Bucks ( who had been working over Alex Shelly’s neck) did a post match attack, and DDT’ed Shelly from the ring apron, onto the floor…….Still, The Guns came out on top to retain their Tag Team Championship.

Douglas Williams  vs  Sabu.

     This was the second, and last Championship that was on the line on this pay per view, and it was for Williams X-Division Title.  Lately I have been disappointed with the X-Division as a whole, but this is primarily because of the lack of effort that TNA has put into pushing it.    That, and I didn’t much care for Williams slower pace of matches.  This is the X-Division after all.  But strangely enough, it is starting to grow on me, in that he really is a good wrestler, and showing different styles is also what this Title is about.  Thus we come to Sabu, who has always been known as one of the kings of extreme.  This wasn’t an anything goes type of match, but the rules did get bent enough for Sabu to pull most of his chair hopping moves ( and a few small botches )  Williams did a good job of making Sabu look good, and in the end used his Championship Belt to lay out his opponent and get the win.

Velvet Sky  vs  Madison Rayne.

     I really don’t know why this one was between Velvet and Rayne, instead of Angelina and Rayne?  If I had to guess though,  it must be to get some closure between the two former partners.  Also, this business of both duo’s laying claim to the “Beautiful People” title still has to be resolved too.  It was sort of funny to see both groups come out to the same entrance music though.  This match turned out to be better than I expected.  Velvet has never been known as a very strong wrestler, but Madison has shown a lot of improvement over the last few months.  Together, they had a decent match, with plenty of distraction on the outside from both Tara, and Love.  But in the end it was Velvet getting the win, after reversing Raynes finisher, and scoring with her own DDT.

Abyss  vs  Rhyno.

     Rhyno hasn’t been around very much lately in TNA, so this was a perfect match for him to be in.  Nothing fancy about a falls count anywhere match.  And as you would expect, the brawl between these two spilled out into the crowd, and all over the Impact Zone. At one point, the duo disappeared under the stage, only to burst through on the other side.  The end came when they finally made their way back into the ring, which was littered with various weapons that they brought in earlier, including part of the steel ring barricade.  Rhyno missed with a Gore attempt, and smashed into the barricade which was set up in the corner, then turned around and was hit with a Black Hole Slam.  Your winner,  Abyss.  And I seriously hope that the mysterious “They” that Abyss keeps ranting about lives up to all the hype.

Sting and Kevin Nash  vs Jeff Jarrett and Samoa Joe.

     Can somebody please explain to me just what this feud is even about?  Sting was talking about TNA’s “Deception” a few months back, and that was never explained.  Now he is siding with Nash, on some unknown mission to destroy Hogan.  And now Jarrett is involved (dragging Joe along) going on and on about back room politics.  And somehow, the fate of TNA itself is in jeopardy?  Either way, this has lead to a pointless match on this pay per view.  I can only hope that this is a buildup to some sort of explanation at Bound For Glory.  As for the match itself, there really isn’t all that much to say.  Standard fare from both teams, with the only interesting part being at the end, when Jarrett used Stings own bat to inflict damage behind the ref’s back, leading to Joe locking in the rear naked choke for the victory.  So, is Jarrett the real bad guy now?  I’m confused.

A.J. Styles  vs  Tommy Dreamer.

     This was not for Stlyes T.V. Title, which was too bad, since there wasn’t going to be a World Title match on the card, due to the tournament.  But it was an ” I Quit ” match, which as we all know, means plenty of violence.  And who better to be in a match such as this, than Tommy Dreamer.  I really wasn’t sure what to expect in this one, since A.J. really isn’t used to the hardcore style.  But he seemed to adapt very fast, and matched Dreamers inovative violence, with his own mean streak.  This was definitely one of the best matches of the night,  with a few highlight spots, such as Dreamer locking Styles in a crossface, with a Kendo stick, and the ending, which saw Styles bust open Dreamer with a fork, then jam it into his eye, forcing him to finally say ” I Quit”   This was one ending that is not for the squimish.

Kurt Angle  vs  Jeff Hardy.

     This was the first of the two semi final matches for the vacant World Title.  There really is no way to describe just how good this match was.  Hardy has been criticized lately for turning in some lazy performances, but this was certainly not the case here.  Both men pulled out all the stops, and put on what has to be considered, a match of the year performance.  At one point, Hardy hit a Swanton on Angle, from the top rope onto the floor !  The only thing that was bad about this match, was the fact that it came to a 20 minute time limit draw.  Eric Bischoff came out and declared there must be a winner, and re-started the match with an overtime, not once but twice.  Still there was no winner, so the match was a no contest.   But this was easily the best performance that has been on a TNA pay per view in quite some time.  And it WASN’T the main event.  Talk about a show stealer.

The Pope  vs  Mr Anderson.

     I actually felt bad for Pope and Anderson, having to follow such a great match.  To their credit, they did have a pretty decent match in their own right,  but the crowd was already spent from the previous one.  It took Mr Anderson, two Mic Checks to finally finish off The Pope, but he did get the win, and is now in the main event at Bound For Glory.  My guess is, he will end up facing both Hardy and Angle, in a triple threat, since nothing was decided in their match.  As for The Pope, I wonder what direction they are going to take him, since a continued feud with Anderson seems unlikely at this point.

     So overall, No Surrender was actually a bit better than I expected, despite some very strange booking, and the main event falling flat, after following such a great Hardy/Angle showing.  I would have to give it a C + 

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AccuScore Prediction of Virginia Tech vs. Boise State
(September 6th 2010) By Zach Rosenfield, AccuScore

Virginia Tech vs. Boise State not only has national championship implications, but it is a good match-up of computer vs. eye test.

AccuScore has Boise State as a three-point favorite vs. Virginia Tech and each team showed positive returns last season in against the spread forecasts (15-9). AccuScore measures home field advantage to be worth four-points in college football, but because the game is technically a neutral site, we simulated the game as such. Despite the game not being played on campus, it’s important to note that Boise State will take a long flight while Virginia Tech only has a short bus ride.

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We simulate this game to be close, which puts an extra emphasis on turnovers. Boise State commits fewer turnovers in 37% of simulations and they go on to win 70% when they take care of the ball. Virginia Tech wins 56% of the simulations in which they commit fewer turnovers.

AccuScore uses an entire season’s worth of statistics to forecast upcoming games, and that lends itself to Boise State. The Broncos did not lose a game last year and their stats reflect it. The million-dollar question is, “would Boise State be as successful if they played in an BCS Conference?” Virginia Tech’s stats suffer because they played a much higher level of competition, and those stats are factored into our game simulations.

They eye test tells a different and more compelling story for this game. Virginia Tech is loaded on offense, with a running attack that should expose Boise State’s interior defense. Last season, Boise State gave up 320 yards rushing against Fresno State, their one regular season game against a team that runs the ball. Hokie running back, Ryan Williams is averaging 105 rushing yards per simulation. If he can have a great game with better than average rushing yards and at least a 1 rushing TD (36% chance) then he helps his team win 56%.

Virginia Tech also showcases Tyrod Taylor that will put added pressure on the Boise State defense. This stands out because Virginia Tech will have a notable size advantage with their offensive line, and a multi-tiered running attack that the Broncos are not accustomed to.

Boise State’s offense should not be as efficient against Virginia Tech as they are in the WAC. Lost in the bizarre story lines of last year’s opener vs. Oregon, the Boise State offense was efficient, but not dynamic and Moore was sacked two times, forced to scramble five times and threw for less then 200 yards.

My favorite part of this blog are these weekly college football picks. I think I am at 74.3% guessing games correctly. Actually, I made that up. I have no idea what my record is. Let’s try this again this year. Even though the games have already started for the first week, I will pick the Friday-Monday games. I was going to pick Utah over Pitt anyway…(wink wink). Here are the games that I will pay attention to this week:

Illinois vs. Missouri- In case you haven’t noticed, this has been a fairly entertaining game over the past few years. Last year was a blowout, but the previous 2 years were high scoring thrillers. There are a lot of questions for the Illini, and Mizzou features the experienced Blaine Gabbert. Look for a close game througout.
My Pick: Missouri 31 Illinois 23

Colorado vs. Colorado State- Easily one of the best “unheard of” rivalries out there. Last year’s contest was won by the Rams, who have won 5 out of the last 11 meetings with the Buffs. A fairly even rivalry in recent years. This is an important season for Dan “go play intramurals” Hawkins. He needs to start off with a win against his biggest rival.
My Pick: Colorado 35 Colorado State 30

Purdue @ Notre Dame- Interesting game. Purdue features former Miami QB Robert Marve (weird looking guy of the year award) and Notre Dame begins the Brian Kelly Era. While people have focused on the loss of Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate in South Bend, the cupboard is not bare. Dane Crist and Michael Floyd will look to pick up where last year’s duo left off. This should be a fun one to watch.
Notre Dame 24 Purdue 20

Oregon State @ TCU- TCU has a high preseason ranking, and instead of waiting until the end of the year to see if they deserve it, they get a quality team to face in the opener. Oregon State features the Rogers brothers, who are looking to make a big showing in their home state. This could be the best game of the day.
My Pick: Oregon State 30 TCU 29

LSU vs. North Carolina- The big story here are the suspensions on the Carolina team. It will make a difference. Marvin Austin, Greg Little, Michael McAdoo and Robert Quinn are big time players and will definitely be missed. Look for LSU to pound it out and get key plays from the sometimes incosistent QB Jordan Jefferson. This game would swing a different way if NC was full strength.
My Pick: LSU 20 North Carolina 13

SMU vs. Texas Tech- Another fun/intriguing matchup. While I think Texas Tech has too many athletes on both sides of the ball, this SMU team is coming off a bowl appearance and has tons of confidence entering 2010. Look for Tech to get up early, with SMU slingin their way back in it.
My Pick: Texas Tech 40 SMU 27

Boise State vs. Virginia Tech- The BIG one. This matchup has gotten much of the hype prior to this first week. For good reason. Boise State has their highest ranking ever, and Virginia Tech has realistic dreams of competing for a National Championship. The Hokies could put to rest the “Boise State for National Champs” talk VERY early, and vault themselves into the early title race. Boise State is lead by Kellen Moore and WR Austin Pettus. This will be the best defense they face all year, which is not good news. Look for the Hokies to pound it out with super Soph Ryan Williams and Mr Comeback Darren Evans. Don’t forget the talented Sr. Tyrod Taylor under center.
My Pick: Virginia Tech 31 Boise State 30

Upset Pick of the Week: UCONN 35 Michigan 24- The Wolverines are all kinds of messed up. Not sure what will happen with them this year.

Game that No One Cares About: Eastern New Mexico 41 Angelo State 31