The first weekend of college football is among us and it is set to be a fast start to the season. There are the usual initial cupcake games, but a few top-25 teams start the season off with a bang.
No. 13 Georgia travels to No. 9 Oklahoma State to face Biletnikoff Award favorite junior Dez Bryant and the Cowboys while No. 20 BYU faces junior quarterback Sam Bradford and the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners.
Fresh Meat
Coach Pete Carroll announced last week that for the first time in USC football a true freshman would take the reins of the Trojans' offense. Matt Barkley, the former Gatorade National Player of the Year and ESPN's top overall prospect for the class of 2009, will run onto the field for USC's first game against San Jose State as the starting quarterback.
After last year's starter Mark Sanchez declared for the NFL draft, Barkley found himself in a three-man race for the job with Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp. Corp looked like the favorite after spring practice but suffered a leg injury in the first week of summer camp, which opened the door for Barkley.
Coach Carroll said Barkley would be the starter for more than just the opener, even though he struggled in USC's scrimmage, completing only five out of 18 passes. His first true test will be in week two when the Trojans travel to Columbus to face Ohio State.
Michigan Mess
A scandal is not the way coach Rich Rodriguez wanted to start the 2009 season in Ann Arbor. But players from the 2008-2009 team told the Detroit Free Press last week that the team was exceeding NCAA regulations in training and practice sessions.
The NCAA limits student athletes to four hours of training and practice a day and 20 hours a week. Players are allowed to individually workout and train longer if they wish, but the coaching staff cannot require mandatory participation exceeding the NCAA limits.
The players alleged Michigan violated both the four hours a day and 20 hours a week guideline.
Coach Rodriguez said he and his coaching staff know the rules and stayed within the guidelines. The university is investigating the allegations, and if they find them to be true the team could be found guilty of major NCAA violation for the first time in the program's history.
The Wolverines are entering their second season under coach Rodriguez and open against Western Michigan.
Back in Business?
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finally ended their bowl-losing streak last season, defeating Hawaii 49-21 in the Hawaii Bowl. It was the team's first bowl victory since 1993.
Former coach and now ESPN analyst Lou Holtz announced he believes this year the Fighting Irish will play in the BCS National Championship game. Holtz has always favored his former team, but he said he has them in the BCS title game because of their incredibly easy schedule and the amount of starters they return.
It's true Notre Dame's schedule this year is shockingly easy. They only play one team in the preseason top-37 and a handfull of teams picked to struggle in their respective conferences.
The offense returns 11 starters including quarterback Jimmy Clausen and rising stars at wide receiver in Golden Tate and Michael Floyd. Tate accumulated over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns last year while Floyd, as a freshman, had 719 yards and seven touchdowns.
Seconds Please
For the first time in NCAA history two Heisman Trophy winners enter the year seeking a rare second Heisman Trophy win. Tim Tebow, quarterback of the No. 1 Florida Gators, won his sophomore year and came close to repeating last season.
He was eclipsed by Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, who had an incredible stat year, throwing for 4,780 yards and 50 touchdowns to lead the Sooners to the BCS National Championship game.
Heading into the season chances are good that a quarterback will claim the trophy again. Not only should Tebow and Bradford have sensational years, but No. 2 Texas' Colt McCoy could challenge both. If Bradford or Tebow were to repeat it would be only the second time a player won two Heismans.
