Just Nine Days Left

Written by Ron Juckett | 25 August 2009

It's almost here, that first Thursday night which we will find out if all the ink spilled in the off-season was correct and we spend the next fifteen weeks going through the most meaningful regular season in sports.

The media has released the Associated Press pre-season poll.  It reads pretty much like the coaches poll, a BCS component, except Kansas is ranked by the AP AT #25 while Oregon State is at #25 in the USA Today poll.  With the exception of a place change a slot or two, the rest of the teams are the same.  In itself, that should delight Big 12 fans and make Big East officials cringe.

Interesting side note on the CBSSports.com Power Rankings, Utah, TCU, and Boise State are in their top ten.  The Utes at #2 and the Horned Frogs at #7 while the Broncos, or the Fighting Smurfs as we call them here, are at #10.  CBS also has Cincinnati and West Virginia in their top 25 at #16 and #24 respectively.

Our friends at Corn Nation has more on the dismissal of Nebraska starting tailback, Quentin Castille. He notes that no one else on the Cornhusker depth chart has taken a snap in college, but with an easy opening schedule and a good offensive line, they should be battle tested by the time conference play begins.

Michigan will rotate three quarterbacks in their home opener against Western Michigan as Rich Rodriguez has determined that there is no clear cut number one to start the season.  Denard Robinson, Tate Forcier, and Nick Sheridan will all get snaps at the Wolverine opener at the Big House.  But as quoted in The Oklahoman's website, Rodriguez says, "Maybe we’ll have three starting quarterbacks, that would be neat."  Um, sure Rich, neat.  Has Vegas installed The Sweater Vest as 21 point favorites yet for the Ohio State game?

The Oklahoman also reports today that Steve Spurrier has suspended South Carolina starting defensive end Clifton Geathers after Geathers was arrested Sunday for public drunkenness among other things.  South Carolina kicks-off the season in nine days against North Carolina State on ESPN.

Finally, in case you have not seen enough Dr Pepper ads on television, the soft drink company will be the sponsor of the National Championship trophy starting this season in Pasadena.  Dr Pepper and ESPN will showcase the trophy at ESPN's College Gameday stops during the season leading to the title game.

'Til next time.