COLLEGE FOOTBALL - WEEK 1

Let's talk some College Football!!! The first full week of College Football is in the books. For those salivating for real football after a month of watching professional third-stringers, we finally got our taste this past weekend. Here are my thoughts and observations, with of course some added Badger flavor:

1) I wish that the NCAA could figure out a way to encourage more big-time match-ups in the non-conference season (coughs, PLAYOFF). The current format where you can not afford to lose unless you are Florida, Alabama or Texas discourages these match-ups and provides us with less of the Boise State-Virginia Tech's and more of the Alabama-San Jose State's. I don't remember it always being this way.

2) John Clay's thighs are bigger than my waist.

3) Three cheers for the Mountain West!! TCU, Utah, and BYU secured three of the most impressive wins this week for schools not named Boise State, who joins the Mountain West next year. Hype up Jake Locker all you want, but 17 points against BYU just doesn't seem to be Heisman material.

4) It would be very easy to just ram the ball down UNLV, San Jose State and Austin Peay's throats and make the passing game an afterthought. But the Badgers need Scott Tolzein to win in the Big 10, so I am ok with a few mistakes in the passing game in order to get it sharp by October. And I am also fine if they let Lance Kendricks lay in the weeds until then.

5) Virginia Tech's fans now range from Blacksburg to Boise. If Tech goes 8-4, will Monday's win seem as big for Boise State?

6) Chris Borland has the motor of a 4 year old. He must sleep very well at night.

7) It is way too early to talk Heisman favorites, but it appears we will not have a repeat winner.

8) I am pretty sure Mississippi got what they deserved. Your team is obviously in trouble if you need to controversially sign a QB to start for your team in mid-summer. Conversely, I think Oregon did pretty well for themselves with their 72-0 stinker over New Mexico.

9) Kansas lost 6-3 to North Dakota State, who of course is a Bowl Subdivision team. The Big 12 went 11-1 on the weekend, the only conference with just one loser. I am pretty sure they should have been 12-0.

10) Michigan or Notre Dame will be 2-0 after this week and will be the front-runners for bounce-back team of the year. I have to give kudos to Michigan who surprised me by easily handling Connecticut.

11) Other big games this weekend: Penn State tries to beat Alabama with a freshman QB. South Carolina and Georgia tussle in an early season SEC game for the right to play in the Outback Bowl. Florida State heads to Norman, where the Sooners need to prove they are worthy of their Top 10 status. Finally, Ohio State and Miami hook-up in the game of the week at the Horseshoe.

GO BUCKY!!