2010 College Football Predictions: 10 Blowouts of Week 1
You know the routine: Line up a tomato can to knock out with ease in the opener so the fans can indulge in their favorite activity without having to watch the game.
Pretty bad in terms of rising up to a challengeย for these so-called historical powers.
Some ratings systems have Alabama as the highest-rated team in the country and San Jose State as the lowest-rated team.
Guess who is playing this week? You got it, and that is only the start of "Blowout City"ย in the first weekend in September.
Let's call that one 42-0 for the Crimson Tide and move along.
The thrill is gone, the thrill is gone away when you have to sit through these turkeys just so your school can makeย its way to that magic six wins for bowl eligibility.
If you can stand it, here are nine more beatdowns that should require an investigation into why these contestsย are not listed as humanย sacrifices forย a roll of money.
Now that's entertainment!
Jive-Talkin' Underdogs
1 of 6
Sometimes schools realize what they are getting into with these mismatches and prepare themselves accordingly.
First rule of thumbโno trash talk.
No. 2: Hawaii Warriors vs. Southern California Trojans
That thought process has eluded the men from Hawaii, who have made it clear they feel the Trojans are not the steamroller theyย were under the leadership of Pete Carroll and can be taken down.
So what we have here is a 20-point underdog Warrior team inciting an emotional response in new Trojan coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin is out to prove he is not the laughingstock so many in the the nation make him out to be.
Kiffin, who reminded some observers inย SECย territory of theย child who likes to pull wings off butterflies, will be free to launch whatever plotย heย wishes toย devise.
It could be a result that ends in the 45-7 range if Kiffin shows mercy.
No. 3: Utah State Aggies vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Some of the comments coming out ofย Logan are not sitting well with youngerย players in Norman. "Who are these guys?" wasย the opinionย of more than one Sooner.
Fifty years ago the Aggies could have answered with one of the greatest defensive tackles who ever lived, theย late Merlin Olsen (see picture).
That was then, this is now, and the kindhearted giantย Olsen has since passed away.
A 28-point underdog, the best the 2010 version of Utah State can realisticallyย hope for is to compete early and be within striking distanceย late.
That is not going to happen with Bob Stoops holding down the throttle. OU is playing for BCS stakes, and size of victory matters to voters.
Look for Oklahoma to "survive" in the neighborhood of 48-10.
Slaughterhouse Rules
2 of 6
No. 4: Texas Longhorns at Rice Owls
Last season the Texas Longhorns demonstrated vulnerability in the first half of an early season road game at Wyoming (see picture).
Coaches and players alike blamed it on the elevation in Laramie, the highest of anyย major college football stadium in the country.
Houston, Texas is basically sea level, so the Longhorns will not be able to reach out for that excuse when they take on the Owls of Rice this weekend.
Texas will not need any excuses. The Longhorns are a 28-point favorite, and fans can expect them to live up to that margin.
Call it 45-14 for Texas.ย
No. 5: New Mexico Lobosย at Oregon Ducks
Oh, this is going to be bad. Really bad.
New Mexico, a 34-point underdog,ย will haveย little chance on the roadย against a Duck team that is steaming with resentment toward pollsters for what the people of Eugeneย perceive as a lack of respect.
When this is over, Oregon should walk away with a victory in the range of 45-10.
Possible Shutouts
3 of 6
No. 6: Marshall Thundering Herdย at Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State will make an early case for being the best team in the country.
The Buckeyes are a team, not a group of individuals, and they are the product of excellent coaching and have a great desire to prove they are deserving of the top ranking many feel they will achieve by season's end.
Marshall, a 28-point underdog, must try to avoid the shutout.
Aย final scoreย of 42-0 looks to be in order.
No. 7: Miami of Ohio RedHawksย at Florida Gators
This looked like a good idea when Ron Zook was the head coach in Gainesville. After all, he was a star player at Miami in the 1970s, a decade that saw Florida bow to Zook andย company in the old Tangerine Bowl.
A 35-point favorite, the Gators are on a mission to take back their SEC championship crownย in 2010.
That means Miami becomes the first of many Gator victims this season, 38-0.
Rumblings from the SEC
4 of 6
No. 8: Arkansas State Red Wolves at Auburn Tigers
Auburn could be the surprise team in the nation this season.
The Tigers appear poised for a run to the SEC title game, and there will be no more willing victim they face than this week's opponent, the Arkansas State Red Wolves.
Againstย thisย 30-point underdog from the Sun Belt, look for coach Gene Chizik's machine to get started early and score often.
Auburn 44, Arkansas State 8 appears reasonable.
Threshers and Thrashings
5 of 6
No. 9: Northwestern State Demons at Air Force Falcons
The Demons from the state of Louisiana achieved one of those remarkable goals that absolutely no one attempts to accomplishโthey lost every game last season.
The Falcons improved in nearly all areasย in 2009 and expect further development this season.
An opening victory by a score of 41-7 over the purple-clad invaders (see picture)ย from the Southland Conference shouldย impress supporters of the Academy.
No. 10: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Nebraska Cornhuskers
Along with the pressure of having a high ranking in 2010, the Cornhuskers must face the additional obstacle of having a bullseye on their back for leaving the Big 12 and opting to join the Big Ten.
The Cornhuskers begin their march of conquest in 2010 with the demolition of the Hilltoppers, 45-3.
Let the nation be warned: Upon you is the day of the corn.
Epilogue: Who Will Disappoint Their Fans?
6 of 6
Look no further than the Peach State for candidates who could fail to impress the audience with a poor performance this weekend.
Arch-rivals Georgia Tech and Georgia could be in a position to produce less than expected.
Georgia suffered from a variety of upsetting events during the summer. The lack of focus will add to an already suspect offensive attack.
This mayย leave the Bulldogs in a position of having to put forth a 60-minute effort to tame this week's opponent, Louisiana-Lafayette.
Coach Rickey Bustle is high on his Ragin' Cajuns, and the end result should be a closer score than the four-touchdown margin posted in south Nevada this week.
Georgia Tech would be listed as a heavy favorite overย FCS South Carolina State, but the truth is the Bulldogs of the MEAC just might be able to stay with the Yellow Jackets until the final gun.
Tech (see picture)ย has a fearsome rushing attack, but the Orangeburg Bulldogsย gave up only 98 yards a game on the ground while finishing with a 10-2 record in 2009.
Stranger results have occurred.
.jpg?w=2560 "Vikings HC Talks Kyler Injury")
