Who's overrated? Who's underrated? Who will the BCS give the shaft to come December?
Those questions take a season to answer, but here's a look at what we know and what we need to find out about some big names.
- OHIO STATE
What we know: The defending national champs are riding a 16-game winning streak (best in the nation), including an amazing run of eight victories by seven points or less.
What we need to find out: Is Craig Krenzel a playmaker or simply your average molecular genetics major masquerading as a quarterback? The No. 2 Buckeyes won't survive another effort like Krenzel's woeful 5-of-20, 2-int. effort in the close call with San Diego State Saturday. And the Clarett-less running game is not going to carry the day this time around.
- AUBURN
What we know: At 0-2 with only three points scored, the Tigers - preseason top five picks by many - are off to their worst start since 1984, the year Bo Jackson and Co. went from preseason No. 1 to the Liberty Bowl.
What we need to find out: Forget the toothless Tigers contending in the SEC. Auburn will be lucky to go .500 in the league. But will the Nov. 22 season finale with Alabama have coach Tommy Tuberville's job riding on it? As Terry Bowden found out, Auburn kingmaker-trustee Bobby Lowder has lots of influence.
- FLORIDA
What we know: The Gators squandered a 33-10 third-quarter lead in Saturday night's epic loss at Miami, UF's biggest collapse since Steve Spurrier and Co. blew a 31-3 fourth-quarter lead in a 31-31 tie at Florida State in 1994.
What we need to find out: Is Gators coach Ron Zook the right man for this job? If he is, gritty Florida buries Florida A&M Saturday, takes out talented but uneven Tennessee Sept. 20 and goes on to win maybe 10 games. If not, Zook's future in Gainesville looks worse than Al Sharpton's presidential chances.
- COLORADO
What we know: The Buffaloes are 2-0 for the first time in coach Gary Barnett's five years in Boulder.
What we need to find out: Can a team be a national title contender with a 23-year-old walk-on (Joel Klatt) starting at quarterback? Trips to Florida State and Kansas State in the next month will tell.
- WAKE FOREST
What we know: The surprising Demon Deacons (2-0) are ranked 20th this week, Wake's first poll appearance in nearly 11 years and its highest ranking since 1979.
What we need to find out: Does Wake have a shot at being 2003's big surprise team (a la Northwestern, Washington State, Arizona State, etc. in the 1990s)? Is underrated Deacs coach Jim Grobe the game's top miracle worker? Here's a guy Alabama should have taken a serious look at instead of party animal Mike Price or sketchy NFL assistant-Tide alum Mike Shula.
- MIAMI
What we know: The Hurricanes' stirring comeback over Florida stretched UM's Orange Bowl winning streak to 23 games (best in the nation).
What we need to find out: Will the cocky 'Canes (three excessive celebration penalties vs. Florida) learn that a quarter-and-a-half of tremendous football won't get it done every week? It certainly won't cut it with trips to Boston College, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh ahead. Watch for UM to go 2-2 in those games.
- OKLAHOMA
What we know: The top-ranked Sooners moved to 45-9 under coach Bob Stoops with Saturday's hard-fought 20-13 win at Alabama.
What we need to find out: Is Stoops the best coach in the nation? His 11-1 mark vs. top-10 teams makes you think so. And as his successful fake punt call late in the third quarter vs. 'Bama proved, no coach has more chutzpah.
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
What we know: The fourth-ranked Trojans (2-0) have won 10 straight dating back to last year, USC's longest winning streak since 1988.
What we need to find out: Will coach Pete Carroll's Men of Troy finally give the Pac-10 a national champion? The left coasters are the only BCS league that hasn't produced a national champ. No Pac-10 team has finished No. 1 since USC in 1978. That was so long ago infamous USC alum O.J. Simpson still had a movie career.
UPSET PICK: South Carolina's romp evens us at 1-1. To get over .500, we'll take Iowa State - a four-point underdog at home - to keep up their whammy over No. 23 Iowa.
LINDSAY'S WINNERS: In a sign that college football is indeed on the right track, the Blue-Gray game is back after an interminable one-year hiatus. Yes, the best non-bowl eligible players from the North and South will slug it out Christmas Day at Movie Gallery Stadium on the campus of Troy State. No word on whether "It's a Wonderful Life" will be screened at halftime.
Thanks to ESPN2, Blue-Gray excitement means opening presents will be the way it should be around our house. And with his North Pole address, Santa will be pulling for the Blue.
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Those questions take a season to answer, but here's a look at what we know and what we need to find out about some big names.
- OHIO STATE
What we know: The defending national champs are riding a 16-game winning streak (best in the nation), including an amazing run of eight victories by seven points or less.
What we need to find out: Is Craig Krenzel a playmaker or simply your average molecular genetics major masquerading as a quarterback? The No. 2 Buckeyes won't survive another effort like Krenzel's woeful 5-of-20, 2-int. effort in the close call with San Diego State Saturday. And the Clarett-less running game is not going to carry the day this time around.
- AUBURN
What we know: At 0-2 with only three points scored, the Tigers - preseason top five picks by many - are off to their worst start since 1984, the year Bo Jackson and Co. went from preseason No. 1 to the Liberty Bowl.
What we need to find out: Forget the toothless Tigers contending in the SEC. Auburn will be lucky to go .500 in the league. But will the Nov. 22 season finale with Alabama have coach Tommy Tuberville's job riding on it? As Terry Bowden found out, Auburn kingmaker-trustee Bobby Lowder has lots of influence.
- FLORIDA
What we know: The Gators squandered a 33-10 third-quarter lead in Saturday night's epic loss at Miami, UF's biggest collapse since Steve Spurrier and Co. blew a 31-3 fourth-quarter lead in a 31-31 tie at Florida State in 1994.
What we need to find out: Is Gators coach Ron Zook the right man for this job? If he is, gritty Florida buries Florida A&M Saturday, takes out talented but uneven Tennessee Sept. 20 and goes on to win maybe 10 games. If not, Zook's future in Gainesville looks worse than Al Sharpton's presidential chances.
- COLORADO
What we know: The Buffaloes are 2-0 for the first time in coach Gary Barnett's five years in Boulder.
What we need to find out: Can a team be a national title contender with a 23-year-old walk-on (Joel Klatt) starting at quarterback? Trips to Florida State and Kansas State in the next month will tell.
- WAKE FOREST
What we know: The surprising Demon Deacons (2-0) are ranked 20th this week, Wake's first poll appearance in nearly 11 years and its highest ranking since 1979.
What we need to find out: Does Wake have a shot at being 2003's big surprise team (a la Northwestern, Washington State, Arizona State, etc. in the 1990s)? Is underrated Deacs coach Jim Grobe the game's top miracle worker? Here's a guy Alabama should have taken a serious look at instead of party animal Mike Price or sketchy NFL assistant-Tide alum Mike Shula.
- MIAMI
What we know: The Hurricanes' stirring comeback over Florida stretched UM's Orange Bowl winning streak to 23 games (best in the nation).
What we need to find out: Will the cocky 'Canes (three excessive celebration penalties vs. Florida) learn that a quarter-and-a-half of tremendous football won't get it done every week? It certainly won't cut it with trips to Boston College, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh ahead. Watch for UM to go 2-2 in those games.
- OKLAHOMA
What we know: The top-ranked Sooners moved to 45-9 under coach Bob Stoops with Saturday's hard-fought 20-13 win at Alabama.
What we need to find out: Is Stoops the best coach in the nation? His 11-1 mark vs. top-10 teams makes you think so. And as his successful fake punt call late in the third quarter vs. 'Bama proved, no coach has more chutzpah.
- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
What we know: The fourth-ranked Trojans (2-0) have won 10 straight dating back to last year, USC's longest winning streak since 1988.
What we need to find out: Will coach Pete Carroll's Men of Troy finally give the Pac-10 a national champion? The left coasters are the only BCS league that hasn't produced a national champ. No Pac-10 team has finished No. 1 since USC in 1978. That was so long ago infamous USC alum O.J. Simpson still had a movie career.
UPSET PICK: South Carolina's romp evens us at 1-1. To get over .500, we'll take Iowa State - a four-point underdog at home - to keep up their whammy over No. 23 Iowa.
LINDSAY'S WINNERS: In a sign that college football is indeed on the right track, the Blue-Gray game is back after an interminable one-year hiatus. Yes, the best non-bowl eligible players from the North and South will slug it out Christmas Day at Movie Gallery Stadium on the campus of Troy State. No word on whether "It's a Wonderful Life" will be screened at halftime.
Thanks to ESPN2, Blue-Gray excitement means opening presents will be the way it should be around our house. And with his North Pole address, Santa will be pulling for the Blue.
@
