Hard to believe but here we sit three weeks into what has already been an entertaining college football season that has produced more than enough story lines worthy of intrigue and interest. In the time it takes Lindsay Lohan to go to jail, get released, got to rehab, get released, fail a drug test and presumably go back to jail, our favorite teams have played 2-3 games and created some highly exhilarating drama between the white stripes. So what have we learned other than, Hollywood and rehab go together like USC and institutional control? A lot actually, some lessons of note:
* Scheduling and paying FCS/Division II, or whatever they go by this season, teams to appease the alumni and make your blue chip players feel good about themselves doesn’t always work out – Ask Ole Miss about Jacksonville State and Virginia Tech about James Madison.
* Notre Dame getting bested by a gutsy fake field goal to lose to the other Michigan team (Sparty), aftering falling to Big Blue the week prior, has made it officially 11 years since ND was relevant.
* Tim Tebow will be more missed than many (The Levee included) outsiders thought in Gainesville. Wonder if he could come back and play center?
* The sate of Florida produces speed and more speed. Miami, UF and FSU can only sign so many guys, meaning SFU, CFU, FIU. Fla Atlantic etc end up with some great athletes. Ask Texas A&M about the speed and athleticism at FIU.
* Regardless of where he’s coaching Lane Kiffin is a first class A-hole. Going for 2 all game against Hawaii. Really Lane? We know you’re not better than that, but surely your legend of a father has to be.
* Alabama’s two deep could beat 85 % of the FBS/Division 1 teams in the country.
* Boise State might be for real, they were for a week in everyone’s mind, until Virginia Tech got beat at home by James Madison University. That took a little wind out of the Boise State sails. Should know a little more about the Broncos this week when they get their last, and only the second, test of the season against Oregon State.
* The BIG 12 screwed up (this refers to screw up #1 by the conference, not the subsequent thousands) by taking Baylor over TCU in 1996. This was proven again last weekend when the Frogs out classed the Bears for 60 minutes and close to some 40 points.
* Oklahoma is going to bring their A game every other week this season.
* Tommy Tubberville is NOT going to run the same and/or a possibly improved version of the offense that Mike Leach utilized at Texas Tech. 144 total yards against Texas this year, Tech had over 400 yards passing in this game last year.
* Mark Richt has done Les Miles the biggest favor one coach can do for another besides of course losing to him; he has made his own seat 10 times hotter than Miles seat was a mere three weeks ago.
* If Texas wants to be a part of the conversation when the elite programs are being discussed, a running back must emerge from somewhere. 3 have tried 3 have failed.
* The SEC is clearly the dominant conference; when one power is down a new one rises up. Tennessee down – South Carolina up, Georgia down – Arkansas up. With that said, their internal cannibalism might “bite” them at the end this year.
* Nebraska is heads and shoulders above the next closest challenger in the BIG 12 North. Oklahoma is probably the clear cut leader in the South, but this division is much more wide open. Or as wide open as a 5 team division can be, Baylor doesn’t exist to the BIG 12 anymore.
* Ohio State is the bell of the BIG 10 ball.
* Oregon has put up gaudy numbers and appears to be the team to beat in the PAC 10, but Stanford and Arizona will have something to say about this.
* The NCAA and its committee that determines player’s eligibility has intervened and presumably affected the outcomes of a handful of games already this year. LSU/North Carolina (14 UNC players out) , all of Georgia’s games (AJ Green 4 game suspension) and in ironic fashion 2 of 3 Ole Miss games (reinstating Jeremiah Masoli for better or worse, apparently for worse).
The beauty of College Football is that in a week or two this list will be antiquated and a list of equal length, boasting equal intrigue yet comprised of completely different story lines will have emerged.
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