Mike Hlas, CR Gazette –
OK, I didn’t really need that exclamation point in the headline. Because I can wait.
Not that I don’t enjoy college football season. For an Iowa sportswriter, it’s 12 weekly chapters of a story that had an 8-month-long prologue. It’s actual action instead of hints and allegations. But I like summer. Love it, in fact. Even if it’s 98 degrees in the shade. So don’t rush it along, please.
However, I am willing to look at one month from today, the opening Saturday of the season.
We know we’ve got Iowa vs. Northern Illinois and Tulsa at Iowa State, but what are the other games of interest a month from today?
Well, for me one of them is the night before when Boise State plays at Michigan State. Minnesota is at UNLV the night before that, the Opening Night of the season. That game, I can miss. I probably won’t, but I can.
What about Saturday?
Obviously, the prime-time Alabama-Michigan game rules all. Do the Wolverines take that leap back into national prominence with a triumph. Do the defending-champion Crimson Tide make a major statement in Week 1?
What else?
Notre Dame vs. Navy in Dublin. It starts at 8 a.m., Central time. The game itself doesn’t hold much fascination for me, but it’s in Dublin. How can you not like that? Would it kill Iowa to schedule one game in Dublin? Wake up,
Northwestern at Syracuse. Last year, the Wildcats won at Boston College to start the year. Two weeks later, they lost at home to Army. Then they started the Big Ten season with four losses. Then they won their next four games, including a game at Nebraska. Odd season.
Ohio at Penn State. For all the talk about the united Penn State front, the reality is that there were more empty seats at Beaver Stadium last year than there had been in a long time, with a new ticket-pricing policy before the season a key factor. What will the crowd be to see a Mid-American Conference opponent and a Penn State team that shrinks a little almost each day?
Southern Mississippi at Nebraska. The last time these two met was Sept. 11, 2004 in Lincoln. The winner was … the Golden Eagles of Hattiesburg, 21-17. USM went 12-2 last year and beat Houston by three touchdowns. Alas, the Golden Eagles have lost their quarterback and a significant chunk of their defense.
Oklahoma at UTEP. What college football power opens a season by traveling to El Paso? Good for the Sooners. Enjoy Juarez.
Northern Iowa at Wisconsin. This is purely provincial. But we in Iowa are curious how the proud Panthers program will fare at Camp Randall Stadium.
By the way, here are some early Nevada point spreads:
Iowa-Northern Illinois (no line yet)
Tulsa by 2 at Iowa State
Minnesota by 9 at UNLV
Michigan State by 5.5 vs. Boise State
Penn State by 11.5 vs. Ohio
Northwestern by 1.5 at Syracuse
Nebraska by 17 vs. Southern Mississippi
Alabama by 11.5 vs. Michigan (Take the Wolverines!)
