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2010 Football Season Viewing Primer - Weeks One through Four
By Tony Gerdeman
It's the middle of summer and we're all busy. Those honey-do lists keep on coming, but that doesn't mean there isn't football to look forward to, and if you don't know what the future holds, it makes it nearly impossible to procrastinate properly. So what we've decided to do is give you a weekly primer for the entire college football season so that you can properly assess and set your honey-do deadlines.
For example, if you're not all that into the matchups in week six, just tell your wife, “Honey, I'll have the garage cleaned and the bonus room finished and painted by October 9th.” Then when October 9th finally gets here, you can go ahead and do your chores on that Saturday because you've determined that you can afford to miss that day's football.
This primer also works for RSVPs and weddings. Got a wedding invitation? Scroll down and see who's playing and whether or not your spouse is going to be flying solo while you're staying home with a case of the 12-hour football flu.
There are other uses for this primer as well. Possibly even jury duty depending on the judge. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination. Enjoy!
Week One – September 4
National Game of the Week -Boise State vs Virginia Tech (Landover, MD) (Monday September 6).
One way or another, a team that is annually talked about as a championship possibility will see their hopes come crashing down just like they deserve to be.
Underrated Game of the Week - TCU vs Oregon State (Arlington, TX)
With a Beaver win, we could spend the entire year not having to hear about non-BCS schools' and their chances of playing in the BCS Championship Game. Of course, we'll instead have to hear about how unfair it is that one loss effectively eliminates them.
Overrated Game of the Week - North Carolina vs LSU (Atlanta, GA)
This game will be 7-3 at the half, and it won't matter who has the seven because a defensive score in the second half will ultimately win the game for somebody. Probably LSU.
Big Ten Game of the Week - Connecticut at Michigan
For me, there aren't many more intriguing games in the non-conference schedule than this one. If Michigan loses, it's over.
Other Games of Note
Southern Mississippi at South Carolina (Thursday); Washington at BYU; Pitt at Utah (Thursday); Marshall at Ohio State (Thursday).
It will be interesting to see the Big Ten Network's ratings following the Ohio State game. I'm expecting their best numbers ever. Better break out that checkbook, Rotel!
Week Two – September 11
National Game of the Week - Penn State at Alabama
These two teams have a bit of a history, and it has nothing to do with Joe Paterno and Bear Bryant being the same age.
Underrated Game of the Week - Florida State at Oklahoma
It's only July and I'm already buying into the Seminole hype. “Buy high, sell low”, I always say.
Overrated Game of the Week - Georgia at South Carolina
An SEC East game that doesn't feature Florida or a yapping Lane Kiffin? Yawn.
Big Ten Game of the Week- Miami at Ohio State
The only reason this wasn't the National Game of the Week is because Miami just doesn't have enough history behind it. Though Kirk Herbstreit will tell you the one way to negate history is with swagger. But it takes an awful lot of swagger to counter history. Though swagger and speed trump history. Unless, of course, history also has speed or swagger. It's like the Rock, Paper, Scissors of ESPN analysis. History beats Swagger, Swagger beats Speed, Speed beats History.
Other Games of Note
Oregon at Tennessee; Michigan at Notre Dame.
There are few rivalries I enjoy more than Michigan vs Notre Dame. It's a three-and-a-half hour misery party every year. Somebody on that field is always unhappy. It's like having a schadenfreude IV drip. Along with a schadenfreude patch and some schadenfreude gum.
Week Three – September 18
National Game of the Week - Iowa at Arizona
This game will sneak up on Iowa fans like a cat stalking imaginary prey. Then somebody will sneeze and the cat will go tearing off upstairs. I don't know who's who in this analogy. I think Ricky Stanzi might be the sneeze though.
Underrated Game of the Week - Clemson at Auburn
I understand if you don't care about this game, but I want to see Tajh Boyd at quarterback for Clemson against a defense that hates playing defense.
Overrated Game of the Week - USC at Minnesota
I admire Tim Brewster for his unmitigated gall in scheduling this game, but couldn't he have just taken a holier-than-thou shot at Michigan like Mark Dantonio always does instead?
Big Ten Game of the Week - Notre Dame at Michigan State
I can't remember the last time this game wasn't entertaining. I'll guess 1982.
Other Games of Note
Florida at Tennessee; Baylor at TCU; Nebraska at Washington; Georgia Tech at North Carolina; BYU at Florida State; Ohio at Ohio State.
Well, if Derek Dooley wants to make a splash at Tennessee, then beating Florida would be a 30-meter belly smacker with subsequent broken ribs and liquified sternum.
Week Four – September 25
National Game of the Week - Alabama at Arkansas
I've already called this game as a loss for Alabama, so I'm sort of hitched to this puppy now.
Underrated Game of the Week - Stanford at Notre Dame
You know Jim Harbaugh is gonna pop off at some point.
Overrated Game of the Week - West Virginia at LSU
To me, LSU is West Virginia with a new porch and trampoline in the side yard that ISN'T homemade.
Big Ten Game of the Week - Temple at Penn State
Yeah, it's a pretty bad week in the conference, though this could be Al Golden's audition for Joe Paterno's job in 2017.
Other Games of Note
South Carolina at Auburn; Oklahoma at Cincinnati; Miami at Pitt (Thursday); Oregon State at Boise State; Eastern Michigan at Ohio State.
Just think, if all goes well, the Oregon State – Boise State game won't even matter.
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