A sure way to get laughed out of the room on Sept. 5, 2014: Tell all your friends the Big Ten could win the next two national championships. That was a day before Ohio State-Virginia Tech met and roughly a year before the rematch Monday in Blacksburg.
You probably noticed both the Buckeyes and Big Ten have rehabbed themselves nicely. Now it’s a likelihood (?) that the Large 14 could make it two in a row.
We’ll be watching Monday.
But first, five storylines that you should have in your head as we enter the conclusion of college football's opening week.
Saturday Storylines
1. Depth chart depth charges: When did naming a quarterback become a national security issue? In the last month, it seems. Numerous coaches -- at major programs, mind you -- have been yanking us around, waiting around until the last minute to name a starter.
Check that. We probably won’t know for sure who starts for Ohio State, Alabama and Louisville -- among others -- until the guy actually trots out for the first series. You’ll accept it and you’ll like it.
Not exactly. This is beyond gamesmanship. It’s more Harry High School. Tell me the defensive coaches at Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and Auburn don’t have a good idea who they’ll be facing. They can pick up the phone. They have sources.
Oh, and whatever happened to eliminating distractions? These are huge ones. Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh trotted out Shane Morris and Jake Rudock for the media last Friday. It was clear from Morris’ body language that he had lost the job. It was uncomfortable for him to be there.
Yeah, but if the meddling media is kept in the dark the kids are merely chess pieces.
A call had to be placed to Alabama this week to make sure five quarterbacks weren’t in the running. Louisville’s Bobby Petrino outdid everyone by listing four guys on the top line. Urban Meyer has said it doesn’t matter who starts. He’ll play two quarterbacks on Monday.
Let’s sum up the situation in a form the coaches can appreciate: All of it is weird OR frustrating OR dumb OR strange OR …
2. SEC West vulnerability: The so-called best division in football needs a credibility boost. For all its accomplishments lately, the West is also the division that has to live with not making it past the first round of the playoff. It’s the division that went 2-5 in the postseason.
A Saturday sweep might be in order to re-establish some order. The West finished a cumulative 6-8 outside the division from Nov. 15 on.
Auburn (vs. Louisville), Alabama (vs. Wisconsin) and Texas A&M (vs. Arizona State) all play all play significant opponents on neutral fields.
LSU (vs. McNeese State), Arkansas (vs. Texas-El Paso), Mississippi State (vs. Southern Miss) and Ole Miss (vs. Tennessee-Martin) are all at home against lesser competition.
They’re all favored. Don’t screw up opening day, SEC West.
3. Awkward Adams: Oregon’s Vernon Adams won the Ducks' starting quarterback job in less than the 23 days between the time he graduated from Eastern Washington and the time Oregon plays Eastern Washington.
Yes, it will be a tad awkward for Adams, who makes his FBS debut against his old teammates. We don’t know what Adams is thinking because coach Mark Helfrich doesn’t let “newcomers’ talk to the media. For the record, this newcomer is 22 years old and has thrown 110 career touchdown passes. Adams twice finished as runner-up for FCS player of the year.
It makes perfect sense that he couldn’t handle a couple of microphones in his face after dodging linebackers for three full seasons. #sarcasm
4. Streaking Nebraska: There are about 13 different species of lemurs that have been discovered since Memorial Stadium didn’t sell out. In other words, 1962.
The sellout streak is sure to continue (to 340 games) as BYU comes to town. There is more angst on the field as Nebraska plays a quality opponent in Mike Riley’s debut. The Cougars are arguably the toughest opener for the Huskers since Oklahoma State (with Les Miles!) departed Lincoln a 17-7 loser in 2003.
(Yes, we’re aware of McNeese State last year.)
BYU owes part of its championship legacy to the Huskers. A Nebraska loss to Oklahoma in late 1984 was a among a series of dominos the fell allowing the Cougars to win that unlikely national championship. That was the year BYU won the title without playing a single team in the final AP Top 25.
By the way, the last time Nebraska lost an opener was 1985 to Florida State. Bobby Bowden was a sprightly 55 -- and many species of lemurs had still yet to be discovered.
And (a big) one for Monday
5. Urban Meyer does not lose openers: Bowling Green/Utah/Florida/Ohio State’s coach is 13-0 in season openers. Meyer has won those games by an average of 29 points.
While the No. 1 Buckeyes may win, it’s not going to be by 29. Meyer has four players suspended. He’s missing a top receiver, Noah Brown. Plus, this a standalone game at night in Lane Stadium. Enter Sandman, y'all.
Meyer last played on the road in the opener 14 years ago in his Bowling Green debut at Missouri. The Tigers were one of only two Power Five schools the coach has faced the first game. Meyer beat Texas A&M to open the 2004 season while at Utah.
You’ll thank me later for looking this up: The last time an AP Top 25 preseason No. 1 lost its season opener was Miami vs. BYU in 1990. It’s happened six times in history.
