The Old College Try: College Football Surprising, Surpassing Expectations so Far

   To sports fans worldwide, ESPN is like a religion. Watching it on television is your service. Reading it online or in a magazine is your text, and going to events can be compared to acts of faith, belief, and loyalty.

   You eat, sleep, and breathe the sports scripture. And due to the time of year, one of the major chapters is college football.

   College football gives us teens something to get look forward to discussing Monday morning despite the fact that we got up six hours too early.

   Adults needing that much needed jolt in work (aside from a Five-Hour Energy Shot) can search through their team’s blogs, constantly hitting the refresh button as they yearn for more deliberation.

   Like any other sport, throughout the season, college football provides your typical twists and turns, along with your stars, surprises, and standards. This year definitely earns a passing grade for all of that so far, and the fact that we are only approaching the third week of action has my more ecstatic than when you all heard our new cell phone policy.

   But incase there are any fans under the Rip Van Winkle spell, allow me to catch you up to speed on this college football season via my alliterative categories.

   Stars

   Has anyone been more impressive so far than Denard Robinson, the sophomore starting quarterback for Michigan. Forget Usain Bolt, Robinson’s challenging the speed of light’s world record.

   While this is hard for me to muster up, considering my heart bleeds Scarlet and Gray, I muster give credit where credit is due.

   Robinson broke, and then re-broke the school’s record of all-purpose yards in one game. He drove the length of the field against a hostile and desperate Notre Dame crowd to crush any BCS dreams Brian Kelly (cue the jeers) had.

    Robinson’s early resumé makes him an early favorite for the Heisman trophy. As long as The School Up North keeps winning, that means Robinson is doing his part to bail out their woeful defense and take one step closer to hoisting the famous trophy.

   Food for thought: Just imagine how good he would be if he tied his shoelaces.

   Surprises

   They may be undefeated so far, but the Florida Gators seem to have wilted since Touchdown Tim (don’t even get me started) got drafted. When you are out gained and out played by the Miami Redhawks for more than a half, do one thing and one thing only. 

   Sound the alarms.

   Their play so far has nearly provoked coach Urban Meyer to check back into a hospital. Lee Corso is most assuringly leaving them on upset alert until they prove otherwise.

   And of course I did not forget about the Virginia Tech Hokies. They were not fully bruised by the media after their hard-fought loss to Boise State.

   But the same blood, sweat, and tears they shed during that game never were produced in their jaw-dropping loss to James Madison.

   In that game it was the Dukes who played like champions, not the Hokies. They played more like the deceased politician their opposition was named after.

   Virginia Tech’s steep slide from title contention makes me reminisce of the good ole’ days of the Michigan-Appalachian State shocker.

   Here is a strong suggestion: If “Beamer Ball” is not work, maybe try getting back to playing football. 

   It’s seemed to work in the past.

   Standards

   As much as I want to gloat about my Buckeyes, Alabama’s consensus number one ranking earns them Leaf publicity. The Crimson Tide looked mighty impressive against Penn State and Joe(Grand)Pa.

   A 24-3 win without star running back Mark Ingram and mammoth lineman Marcel Dareus speaks volumes of their depth and talent. 

   Coach Nick Saban seems to be channeling his inner Paul “Bear” Bryant. The man has been garnering more respect than Taylor Swift for not upstaging Kanye West during his infamous VMA toast. 

   Yeah, that much. 

   Among your other regular powerhouses include the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Boise State Broncos, among others.

   Now to my Buckeyes. They certainly have been silencing doubters as well. They outperformed and outclassed the Miami Hurricanes, save the spotty special teams play.

      I continue to think they have to stingiest defense in college football. So far, they have given up one offensive touchdown through eight quarters of football.

   Terrelle Pryor is doing his best Vince Young imitation. If he ever wins the Heisman trophy it will be for the both of them, placed right on the window shelf for Reggie Bush to stare at.

   To take all I described and the many other unmentioned items and mince into one word would be almost impossible. 

   It takes many words, phrases, descriptions, practices, events; days, nights, months, even years to detail college football’s glories, myths, stories, and battles.

   Sounds an awful lot like religion, doesn’t it?