College Football Opening Day Review

Well, now that we are now hip-deep in college football season (yes, one day consisting of games qualifies as hip-deep), it is time to see what we learned.

• Rice-Eccles Stadium, Utah's home, is still a tough place to play, as Aggies remember painfully from our visit there in 2004. After their 27-24 overtime win over Pittsburgh, the Utes have now won 18 straight at home.
  
• Speaking of Pittsburgh, they need to find someone else besides Tino Sunseri to run the show for them at AB. There are playmakers, there are game-managers, and then there is Tino Sunseri. Sunseri's 16/28, 184 yds, 1 TD line belies the fact that he tends to overthrow his wide receivers, and his receivers make plays that make him look good. Every time Sunseri drops back to pass, you're hoping he doesn't give up the game right there, with every Pitt's fan's worst fear being realized on the first Pitt play in overtime, when Sunseri was intercepted (albeit on a terrific play by Brian Blechen, on which I'm still not sure he stayed in bounds).
• The only reason to see Florida A&M play is still the "Marching 100", their magnificent showband-style marching band. Miami trucked the Rattlers, 45-0, in a game that wasn't as close as the score would make it appear.
• USC's 49-36 win over Hawai'i was Lane Kiffin's first as Southern Cal's new coach, but if last night was any indication, wins may be hard to come by this season. Southern Cal's secondary needs work; there were a few plays where Hawai'i scored simply by outrunning the angle and breaking away from the secondary. That isn't a fundamental issue like tackling, that is simply being out-talented. The good news for SC is that their run defense, a weakness last year, seems to have improved a little. We need to remember, though, that this was only their first game.
• When you need to wait until the 4th quarter to wear down your opponent with your running game, as Minnesota did with Middle Tennessee in their 24-17 win, that is when you know you're going to struggle this season. When it takes until the 4th quarter to seal the win, which Minnesota did with 3 minutes left in the game, that means you barely have the depth to compete with your opponent. It also means Minnesota shouldn't be too much trouble for most of the programs in the Big Integer this year.
• Ohio State's 45-7 win over Marshall showed a possible chink in the Buckeyes' armor, as Marshall's only score was on a FG block returned for a TD. While I understand that Ohio State is hyping Terrelle Pryor for the Heisman, after watching him again last night, I don't see any way that kid runs a 4.3 40 like they claim.
• Rutgers' 31-0 win over Norfolk State is deceptive, as they were only up 6-0 at halftime, and NSU was playing with them. It looks like it'll be another tough year for Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights in the Big East.
• Iowa State's 27-10 win over Northern Illinois was a solid win over a game MAC opponent. Paul Rhodes is getting things done in Ames, and while I don't expect the Cyclones to compete for the Big 12 North this year, he is building a tough team that won't concede anything to anyone when they step on the field. Another mid-tier bowl trip is not out of the question for the Cyclones.