What to expect in week one

Let's all rejoice.  The off-season is officially finished.  The first game is just six days away, and week one is certainly going to be full of surprises.

The top stories in week one will be:

First, there will be two upsets in the SEC. Louisville pulls off a big win against Kentucky, and Southern Miss beats South Carolina. The Cardinals and Wildcats both have new coaches and both are rebuilding making this just a mild upset. However, UK has been good over the last few seasons, and Louisville has been terrible.  Charlie Strong will have his team ready to battle, and the Cardinals earn a close victory at home.

The Gamecocks have too many off-the-field distractions right now that are hurting its preparation for the Golden Eagles. Additionally, SC has a look ahead game against Georgia in week two, and traditionally the team has started slow under Spurrier.  Both teams are good defensively so the scoring will be minimal, but look for a turnover late in the game costing the Gamecocks a win and a chance to build some momentum heading into its showdown with the Dawgs.

Second, the MWC will shine.  One of the most heated discussions every season centers on the strength of the mid-majors compared to the BCS conferences.  The Big Six refuse to admit that little brother is actually pretty good.  They will have to acquiesce a little after Utah beats Big East favorite Pittsburgh and TCU downs Oregon State.  If BYU could pull the upset in Washington and Colorado State beats Colorado, big brother won’t be home for dinner.

Third, LSU throttles UNC in the Chick Fil A Kickoff Game.  What should have been a great game is quickly becoming an afterthought.  The Tar Heels’ woes continued this week when the school announced that they are investigating the possibility of academic misconduct.  UNC is already being investigated by the NCAA for possible misconduct regarding players receiving improver benefits from agents.  The Heels' season may implode before it starts.  The allegations will certainly hurt the Heels’ focus, and the Tigers will benefit.  LSU needs this win, and the Tigers will get it.

Fourth, Virginia Tech ends Boise State’s dream season before it begins.  With 20 returning starters, the Broncos are poised to run the table and sneak into the BCS Title Game if they get by the Hokies on Labor Day night in FedEx Field.  Led by junior QB Kellen Moore, Boise’s high octane offense is a scoring machine – averaging nearly 43 points per game in 2009.  The telling sign though is the Broncos’ averaged just 18 points against Oregon and TCU, the only two teams with a pulse on defense that they faced all season.

The Hokies return a potent offense led by QB Tyrod Taylor and RB Ryan Williams.  Beamer is going to run the ball straight at Boise to keep its offense off the field.  His special teams’ unit will also make a critical play or two giving the Hokies an advantage.  Va Tech gets a big victory, and Boise heads home knowing its chances of playing for the title are dead.

Lastly, Michigan beats UConn raising the hopes of the Wolverine faithful that year three under Rodriguez will be the turning point back to college football relevancy.  After two disastrous seasons, the fans in Ann Arbor are anxious for a rebound.  Losing senior CB Troy Woolfolk to a season ending injury won’t help the cause, but there are enough pieces in place to have a mildly successful year.

The key might hinge on a Rodriguez finding a starting quarterback.  The job was Forcier’s to lose, but he has been in the doghouse.  Robinson is a running threat, but his arm is suspect.  Freshman Devin Gardner has been impressive in camp, but does Rodriguez really want to go through another season with a freshman QB?  Not having the true #1 is a major concern, and not having a proven running back only makes the situation worse.  Fortunately for Michigan, the early season schedule is manageable.  They need every win they can get before October, or it could be three and done for the Rich Rod experiment.