Bowden's loss so ugly, Rodriguez and Wannstedt look (almost) good

How bad was it? Let's just say Tommy Bowden wishes he were Rich Rodriguez or Dave Wannstedt right now.

How bad was it? T.B. practically blew off the ESPN sideline reporter as he came off the field muttering something about getting blown out on both sides of the line.

Tell us something we don't know, Tommy. Zero yards rushing. Zero against what is projected to be a middle-of-the-road team in the SEC West. Alabama is suddenly thinking bigger after a 34-10 victory in Atlanta. That or it was further validation that Vanderbilt could probably make a run to the conference title game in the ACC.

Bowden, Rodriguez and Wannstedt begin September with unexpected 0-1 records. (AP/Getty Images)

Poor Tommy. It's easy to root for him. He is a younger, drier-wit version of his dad, without the national championships. Likeable enough. Then his team goes and hides in its room -- its room being the Georgia Dome before 70,000 fans.

How bad was it at what were arguably the three most disappointed BCS programs on Saturday?

Bad: Michigan loses the Rich Rodriguez debut, its second consecutive home-opener downer by the eerily same two-point margin as Appalachian State. But it's way early and at least an argument can be made for progress compared to this point a year ago. Utah is a I-A program.

Worse: There is seemingly always at least one MAC shocker. Pittsburgh is this year's first victim. After an offseason spent on posters, promotion and primping for the cameras, the Panthers lose ... at home ... by 10 ... to Bowling Green.

"Unless you study the game you don't understand the implications of a win like that," Falcons coach Gregg Brandon said. "We're not supposed to beat these people."

Yeah, we know.

Worst: It's one thing being surprised, it's another becoming a junkie, getting hooked on the habit. Clemson had its own offseason share of magazine covers, photo shoots and love. I can't believe I called Cullen Harper, C.J. Spiller and James Davis the best backfield in the country. What I, we, everybody forgot was that Bowden had to replace four starters in the offensive line.

"I cannot remember us getting beat physically that bad in the past three years," Bowden said. "We never established any kind of control in the game. We are obviously not the ninth-rated team in the country. We just got physically whipped on both sides of the ball."

When the lights actually went on, the Tigers were the ACC's poster children for ineptitude. At 10:16 a.m. ET on Sunday, the lead story on the conference's website was "Duke cruises past James Madison." Nothing like positive spin. The league was 2-4 against I-A competition on opening weekend. Its marquee team took a three-hour siesta on national television. Maryland struggled with Delaware. Virginia, um, manned up and actually took the field against Southern California.

Virginia Tech -- a candidate to make the Tripped Up Three the Flustered Four -- lost to East Carolina. How Sean Glennon ever got the starter's job at quarterback and backup Tyrod Taylor remains a redshirt candidate, I'll never know.

This is getting to be too easy. Bashing ACC football these past few years is like kicking the cane out of a blind man's hand. It is cruel and unusual.

At Clemson, though, these kinds of things are almost expected. The Tigers were within reach of the ACC title game last year when Boston College's Matt Ryan led a late comeback. That was the latest failing of a program that conducts itself like it was the 13th member of the Southeastern Conference but hasn't won SEC Jr. since 1991.

"It's a position I'm not accustomed and our team is not accustomed to," Bowden said of the high expectations before the season. "I'll be anxious to see how the players respond."

Anxious was the word in July. Dread is the word heading into September.

Poll Which team's loss was most embarrassing? 52% Clemson   22% Michigan   26% Pittsburgh   Total Votes: 17235

Sometimes nothing says foolishness like a contract extension. They were handed out in the offseason like suckers at a bank. They're getting to be nothing more than a message for recruits that Coach Millionaire has job security.

Kansas State's Ron Prince received one after an epic defensive meltdown led to a 5-7 finish.

Wannstedt finished with the same record but at least left the long-suffering Pittsburgh fans something to feed off after beating West Virginia. Ask those fans how good they're feeling when another MAC team -- maybe a better one than Bowling Green or Buffalo -- comes to Heinz Field this week.

Bowden was awarded one, too. It made perfect sense. Nine years. Sixty-nine victories. Eight bowl games. Perhaps his best Clemson team ever returning in '08. That at least qualifies for an extension these days.

Then the lights came on Saturday in the Georgia Dome. The Tigers were nowhere to be found.

For the rest of the weekend wrap see Dennis Dodd's blog Dodds and Ends