Miami will look to avenge a loss in the 2003 National Championship game as two Heisman hopefuls square off in Columbus, Ohio this weekend. Meanwhile, Florida State and Notre Dame's new play callers will receive their first big tests from Oklahoma and Michigan, respectively. With reigning national champs Alabama looking strong last week, they attempt to silence doubters yet again as an inexperienced Penn State team challenge the Crimson Tide.
Miami (FL) vs. Ohio State
When the No. 12 Hurricanes march into Ohio Stadium, there will be more for these two teams to think about than a possible BCS berth.
This is the first time these teams have met since the double-overtime thriller of a National Championship in 2003, in which Ohio State prevailed thanks to a controversial pass interference call.
Prior to that rendezvous, the Hurricanes had won 34 straight games while their players were strutting about with a swagger unmatched in the sporting world. Contrastingly, since winning their first championship in 32 years, the Buckeyes have played in six BCS games to Miami's one.
The college football landscape is different now as both teams are led by confident and freakishly athletic junior quarterbacks in Terrelle Pryor and Jacory Harris for Ohio State and Miami, respectively.
Pryor, who is the favorite to win the Heisman, threw three touchdowns and 247 yards in a 45-7 rout of Marshall in the Buckeye's home opener last week. Jacory Harris is not to be taken lightly either as last week he threw for 210 yards and three scores on 12-of-15 passing to demoralize Florida A&M by a score of 45-0, despite only playing the first half.
Thanks to the quarterbacks at the helm of each offense, both teams look primed to contend for the only title that really matters, the 2011 BCS National Championship.
Penn State vs. Alabama
The reigning national champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide, get their first test of the young season this Saturday night when the Penn State Nittany Lions roll into Tuscaloosa, Ala. for the first time in two decades.
Penn State looked surprisingly robust in their first game of the season last week, a 44-14 win over the Youngstown State Penguins. True freshman quarterback Robert Bolden threw for 239 yards and two scores, as he also became the first freshman quarterback in 100 years to start a season opener for Penn State.
At the same time, this is not the Penn State of decades past or even of last year, which was led by strong-armed and nimble-footed senior quarterback Daryll Clark. Clark will be greatly missed as Alabama's defense is ruthless, evidenced by their 48-3 annihilation of San Jose State last week.
The Crimson Tide's offense was equally striking, even without last year's Heisman winner Mark Ingram they piled up a whopping 591 yards.
NFL-caliber junior receivers Julio Jones and Marquis Maze, along with speedster sophomore running back Trent Richardson, will be quite a handful for the Nittany Lions to contain, especially considering Penn State allowed for freshman Youngstown State quarterback Kurt Hess to complete 84 percent of his passes last week.
If that isn't enough to give the defending champs the edge, senior quarterback Greg McElroy hasn't lost as a starter since middle school.
Florida State vs. Oklahoma
After an unimpressive performance last week against an inferior foe, Oklahoma will look to cement its top ten status this week when the Seminoles come to town.
After being ranked No.7 to open the season, a slim 31-24 victory over the Utah State Aggies dropped the Sooners three spots in the poll. Florida State, on the other hand, only helped their cause as they made quick work of Samford in a 59-6 win in Jimbo Fisher's first game as the replacement for Florida State's previous head coach, Bobby Bowden.
Senior quarterback Christian Ponder saw the field for the first time since his season-ending shoulder injury last November and racked up 167 yards and four scores. The Oklahoma defense should be worried after allowing 341 yards through the air last week.
However, Ponder's arm won't be his greatest asset this week as another body part will be even more important: his head. With Oklahoma winning an NCAA best 31 in a row at home, Ponder's ability to remain focused will be the ultimate test in this week two bout.
In the first meeting since the Sooners beat the Seminoles in the 2000 National Championship game, this clash should end up being significantly more exciting than the rather dull 13-2 title game 10 years ago.
