Let’s chat about the glorious first real weekend of the college football season, shall we?
Starting with something I forgot to mention in my U of L GameCap, given my haste to find out why my phone was in SOS mode and not working.
Shaun Boykins Jr.’s running stats. He came up big late, finding holes and eating up clock. 40 yards on 5 carries. The redshirt rookie from North Hardin confirmed this squad has its deepest RB room ever.
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Shame shame shame on you Northwestern.
In New Orleans, the city
I love which defines resilience and where tradition reigns like nowhere in this land, that academic school whiffed.
Tulane wanted to wear white unis to honor the anniversary of Katrina’s decimation and the city’s bounce back. Apparently Northwestern had to agree.
They didn’t.
Pissy, pissy, pissy.
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Media star of the weekend: Florida State’s QB Tommy Castellanos.
Who, let me remind you, was benched last year at, wait for it, Boston College.
He’s the fella who dissed Alabama back in the summer, that they didn’t have Nick Saban to bail them out anymore.
Then backed it up with a 31-17 smackaround of the Crimson Tide. Which planted Bama coach Kalen DeBoer firmly on the Dead Man Walking roster. (Doesn’t take long down there where they care more.)
Immediately after which, like the next day, Castellanos came out on his website with a line of merch, heralding the W and continuing to lay it on the Tide.
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Speaking of merchandising, nobody does it better than Coach Prime. Who is as good as that other Prime where we order all that stuff our local hardware store doesn’t stock.
Sanders has had bladder issues. Needs access to facilities. So, along the Colorado sideline, there was a temporary toilet in a tent. With a great big DEPENDS logo on the side.
Get better coach.
Meanwhile the Buffs fell at home to a gritty ACC school, the Georgia Tech Ramblin’ Wreck.
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Speaking of Florida State, I am obliged by the dictates of the National Association of Pigskin Pundits (NAPP) to write 50 or so more words about Lee Corso.
Gotta keep my membership active, you understand.
Not only as expected did Corso pick Brutus Buckeye to win, he picked this alma mammy Seminoles to do so. And all the schools where he coached won their opener. Navy. Louisville. Indiana. Northern Illinois.
And he picked LSU, which upended Clemson. Meaning Brian Kelly is going to be a burr in our brogans all season.
For the record, Corso picked those Tigers from Red Stick to win the CFP.
Lee Corso, Long May You Run.
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The Best Boot of the Weekend.
Other than of course that Ohio State student who nailed a FG on Game Day, winning $50 Large.
Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai, whose amazing 32 yard free kick off the post late was the winner in the team’s 1-0 W over Arsenal in a match of the EPL’s best teams.
Yo, football by another name is . . . futbol.
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Who came out better in that Tennessee/ UCLA QB switcharound?
Last year’s Rocky Top starter aptly named Nico Iamaleava wasn’t happy with his $2 mill+ NIL deal in Knoxville. So he took his talents, such as they yet have proven to be, to Westwood.
Where he did not a thing of consequence — other than taking 4 sacks — in a 10-43 beatdown to the Utah Utes.
Meanwhile in Orange, App State/ UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar went 16/28 for 247 and 3 TDs in the Vols 19 point victory over Syracuse.
It is reported that Bruin coach Dehaun Foster wouldn’t allow media to observe his QB during preseason practice. Guess we know why.
Meanwhile in the thrall of victory, Aguilar donned a an old school leather helmet after the win. (As did Shane Beamer after his Gamecocks bested his alma mater.)
A trend?
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The Oregon Duck mascot lost his head — literally — when entering the stadium.
Then, getting in touch with his inner Ted Giannoulas, immediately ran off the field into the tunnel so nobody would learn his identity.
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Here’s who I’d love on my team.
Ruebin Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, the U’s DEs.
They shut the door and locked it to preserve Miami’s win over the Fighting Irish.
The quick Bain Jr. also had a really alert interception earlier in the battle.
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Who knew Arch Whatsisname’s performance in adverts would be better than his one on the field?
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Paul Finebaum called North Carolina’s new coach, Chapel Bill.
I likeee.
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My favorite quote about the weekend — by somebody whose name I forgot to jot down — called Week I, a “pathological liar.”
We’ll see.
Time will tell who has fell and who’s been left behind.
— c d kaplan
