The Six-Shooter: Firing the first shots in Week 1

By Lou DiPietro  |   Friday, August 29, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

College Football
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Labor Day weekend is upon us, and that means the 2008 NCAA football season is ready to begin! Because you may be preoccupied by US Open tennis, back-to-school sales or hopefully some hotties on the beach, here’s what you need to know about the opening week of the college season.

Game of the Week: No. 20 Illinois at No. 6 Missouri

For the second year in a row, the Illini and Tigers will open their campaigns against each other. But while last year’s game – a 40-34 Missouri victory – was pretty much a battle between two teams expected to finish in the middle of their conferences, this season's clash could go a long way in determining national title hopes.

In 2007, Missouri was one win away from the BCS championship game – the Tigers ended up in the Cotton Bowl as the No. 3 Big XII team – while Illinois got to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl thanks to an upset of then-No. 1 Ohio State in mid-November. For either of those two teams to get back to the Promised Land, they’ll have to avoid starting the season 0-1.

Missouri has a much easier schedule (its only real regular-season tests are at Texas and at home against Kansas), so this is more of a trap game for the Tigers. Illinois, meanwhile, has to go to Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State within a five-week span later this year. Can Juice Williams and the Illini get off on the right foot?

Doubtful. Missouri was a better team last year, it's a better team this year and the game is in St. Louis. Whether I’m right or wrong, this is definitely the place to be on Saturday night (the game airs at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN).

Game of the Weak: Temple vs. Army

It kills me to put my alma mater in this slot, but it’s a slow week and the Owls have been pretty bad lately. I know how bad Temple football can be – the team won 11 games in my four years there. Since 2002, these teams have been quite possibly two of the worst in the Football Bowl Subdivision (1-A), with Army going 13-58 and Temple amassing a 12-58 mark. As a Temple alum living within range of the USMA sports television network, I almost have no choice but to watch this atrocity.

Army should settle nicely into its 3-9 groove again this year, but Temple has a chance to actually be good. Granted, the Owls haven’t sniffed .500 since the elder Bush was in the White House, but Al Golden is doing marvelous things on North Broad Street (well, technically, 11th and Diamond). The Owls return all but one starter and the MAC isn’t exactly strong this year.

We’ll see how they play this weekend. Until then, this is still a game between two teams that have won as many games in the last six years as national champion LSU did in 2007 alone.

Potential Upset of the Week: Florida Atlantic at No. 11 Texas

Texas struggled to beat Arkansas State last year, and Florida Atlantic is a much better team than ASU was in 2007. Rusty Smith leads a highly experienced offense against a revamped Longhorns defense and FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger has built his team from blueprint to beast. If Texas struggles early again, look for the Owls to step on the throttle and try to thrust the Sun Belt into the spotlight.

Most Likely Upset of the Week: James Madison at Duke

JMU may be in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA), but three of its four losses last year were by three points or fewer. While Duke -- 1-11 last season -- is a year wiser, that doesn’t necessarily make the Blue Devils better. Either way, I predict a team with Duke in its full name wins (at the risk of spoiling my own joke, JMU's nickname is the Dukes).

Déjà vu Game of the Week: Appalachian State at No. 7 LSU

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: Appalachian State, fresh off winning the FCS title, goes into a powerhouse team’s stadium and scores one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

Be surprised, but not too much so, if you see that story in the Sunday paper. Appalachian State is now the three-time defending FCS champion, and a lot of the guys who pulled off the Mountaineers' heist last Opening Day in Michigan's Big House – including amazing QB Armanti Edwards – are back looking for a fourth. Reigning BCS champ LSU -- which lost both of its QBs, its top two WRs, its best RB and a few great defenders -- is in a bit of a rebuilding mode.

Last year’s ASU victim, the Wolverines, had five eventual NFL draft choices on offense -- including left tackle and No. 1 overall pick Jake Long; the 2008 Tigers aren’t nearly that good as of yet. Appalachian State won’t be scared or overwhelmed, and as fortunate as LSU was at times in 2007, Lady Luck might be a Mountaineer fan in 2008.

The Final Gun:

There are a lot of good games in Week 1. Kentucky at Louisville, No. 3 USC at Virginia and No. 24 Alabama visiting ninth-ranked Clemson are all potential blockbusters, while contests like Fresno State at Rutgers and Washington at No. 21 Oregon could be mini-upset alerts. If last year is any indication, it’s sure to be a long, bumpy road from Week 1 to the BCS title game. But as I think about it, this writing gig can probably get me a New Year’s week trip to South Beach to see the top two teams battle for it all in Miami at season's end …
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About Lou DiPietro

Lou DiPietro is an accomplished freelance writer who is fascinated with all things sports. In addition to his duties at RealFootball365.com, Lou contributes to TheBleacherReport.com and Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine, and has been featured on "The Sports Buffet with Matt West" on 1080-AM ESPN...
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