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College Football Is Back, Baby!
At long last, after nearly nine interminable months, my favorite time of year is at hand: college football season. Unlike the increasingly politically correct NFL, the American flag will be properly honored and politics will be sidelined for love of the game. And beautiful young women on the sidelines will vigorously cheer their schools on to victory. Truly, there’s no place I’d rather be this fall than at Jones Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, rooting for my Texas Tech Red Raiders as they take the field. Alas, I’ll have to make do with television.
So, what will transpire during the 2018 campaign? Will the Alabama Crimson Tide repeat as national champions, or will they be upended by such SEC rivals as the Georgia Bulldogs or the Auburn Tigers? Could the Clemson Tigers continue to dominate the Atlantic Coast Conference? Might the Oklahoma Sooners win a fourth consecutive Big 12 title, or will a dark horse like the TCU Horned Frogs knock them off? Could the Oregon Ducks (hey @thegreatadventure!) return to Pac-12 glory? And in light of Urban Meyer’s suspension, will the Ohio State Buckeyes continue their mastery of the Big Ten?
Regarding my Texas Tech Red Raiders, Kliff Kingsbury enters yet another season with a question mark over his head. Coach Bro saved his job with an upset win over the Texas Longhorns last November, but will another 6-6 record (plus throngs of adoring co-eds) be enough to save him this season?
And then there is the off-season tragedy that befell Mike Leach and the Washington State Cougars with quaterback Tyler Hilinski’s suicide. If anyone can help the team bounce back, though, it’s the Old Pirate.
But never despair, because there are always the sirens of the sidelines to cheer us up! 😎
Published in Sports
The girl in the middle, in the retro uniform… that’s the best kind; where the skirt flies up every time they jump.
I agree. It’s a classic look!
When your teams are unlikely to be in the championship hunt, the state rivalry games are the most important.
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/1373e7ed9c3a1b87c9a6e6f133bd65a028fd7259/c=0-59-1980-1548&r=x513&c=680×510/local/-/media/Phoenix/Phoenix/2014/02/23/1393195276000-1.jpg
Why do these pictures not surprise me? Ha
I would have been surprised if they weren’t there.
My favorite time of year as well. My ass will be glued to seat tonight watching Wolverines take on The Fighting Irish
Doesn’t seem nearly so long ago for me, as I had the privilege of attending the Spring Game of the premier Big 12 program at Norman back in April, and they succeeded in creating a big game atmosphere. At least, while the starters were scrimmaging.
I had the good fortune of getting to sit behind the Stoops family as the patriarch, Bob*, was honored that day. Good times. Bob got his statue in front of the Barry Switzer Center that day, Billy Sims accepted the university’s copy of Baker Mayfield’s Heisman Trophy. I got to see country superstar Trace Atkins dance with mascots Boomer and Sooner. This was right after getting to see him in theaters as Mercy Me’s agent in I Can Only Imagine. Kind of surreal.
I don’t know if other programs succeed quite so well on their spring game atmosphere, but it is worth checking out. I know it feels like I didn’t really wait long for the season to kick off.
As for high school football, to date, I’ve only bothered to attend games hosted at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. As I don’t like sitting in the cold, it is the only way to attend playoff games in December.
*Yeah, I’ve heard the rumors that Bob might sub for Urban up in Columbus, depending on how that scandal shakes out. I don’t have any inside information from just sitting behind the guy one time.
On Wisconsin!
Best post I’ve seen all week! I’m salivating.
The Ducks are a sleeper – much depends on new coach Mario Crisotbal and the staff’s ability to take advantage of what is quickly becoming an elite group of athletes. Justin Herbert is an absolute stud – if he were playing at USC, Alabama, Ohio State or any of the other “traditional” powerhouses he’d be the odds on favorite to win the Heisman. As it is all of the so-called pundits have him just outside of the top 4 or 5.
How cool would it be for my Ducks to pull 2 Heismans in the span of 5 years?
LET’S GO DUCKS!!!
Agreed, but there’s some dandy interstate rivalries as well! Let me tell you how much I despise those purple puppies from UW!
I would have been disappointed if they weren’t there. Keep it up, Mike!
Thats real important around the Bishops….
Yay! It’s game day. The mighty Auburn Tigers are undefeated at this point so all is well. (Hope I’m still saying that tonight).
@thegreatadventure, I’ll raise your Huskie hate to Bama loathing any day.
Go Irish! Time once again for a home game tradition at ND.
Fair enough. Was just telling my wife, however, that I have the little angel and devil hanging out on my shoulders. The angel is saying “You have to hold your nose and your gag reflex and cheer for the mongrels”. The devil is saying “Go Tigers!”
Oregon v Oregon State Civil War Game public service ad put together by the Portland Police Bureau.
Bucky won last night!
To date Badgers are undefeated in 2018 (1-0)!!!
Looking forward to the season. It will be a challenge for the Hoyas to live up to their #239 ranking in Sagarin (true), but hope springs eternal.
In this case, the devil is correct.
@mikelaroche – Apologies if I missed the name check from last Fall – I was on an extended hiatus from Ricochet.
My Beavers play Ohio State today and they will make everyone a Beaver Believer!
Away game? I’m guessing that picture was not made anywhere near Lubbock.
Ah, LaRoche’s pix. The real reason I joined Ricochet.
Whew! NC State Wolfpack 1-0. JMU wasn’t a push over. Hopefully they learn some things before next week against Ga. State. Going to that game. Glad the season has started. Go Pack!
Not looking good.
Tech lost, giving up 47 points to a mediocre Ole Miss team. Anemic offense, porous defense – the hallmark of the Kingsbury era. Time for Coach Bro to go.
The pic was taken this past spring in Daytona Beach, Florida, site of the 2018 National Cheerleader Association finals.
No problem. Glad you’re back!
Biggest takeaway from that game is that the Buckeyes defense is a sieve. Nobody expected Oregon State to come anywhere close, but it’s shocking that they put up 31.
Agreed.