College Ball Begins

The first weekend of college football is over and the seasons' storylines are already developing.

Ron Zook has snagged some of the top recruits for the past few years, angering coaches at larger programs who think something sinister is going on. The talent seems to be there, but something sure was missing — like defense — as the Illini got dismantled by Mizzou. Zook's team looked shellshocked every time the defense took the field. If they don't improve, Illini fans ought to brace for an embarrasing Saturday when Ohio State comes to town Nov. 15.

Chase Daniel has to be the early Heisman favorite. Missouri looks like a title contenter and Daniel looks like a more mobile Ben Roethlisberger. Mizzou ducks at least one of the Big 12's top teams with both No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 14 Texas Tech omitted from their regular season schedules. If the Tigers can claim the Big XII title this year, my money says Daniel strikes the Heisman pose.

The ACC is overrated. Badly so. Clemson, a pre-season BCS Championship contender looked flat out awful losing to Alabama. The Tide isn't even supposed to be a top four team in the SEC. Those are the games national championship teams win. Instead the Tigers tucked their tails. East Carolina isn't a bad team, but if the ACC was a legit football conference, its No. 2 team — Virginia Tech — should have thrashed them instead of losing 27-22. Speaking of thrashed, see USC's transcontinental beat down at Virginia, 52-7. At least Maryland prevailed ... 14-7 over D-I AA school Delaware. Well done, Terps.

Utah is this season's Hawaii. The Utes took down Michigan at the Big House. The biggest hurdle to a BCS bowl? A season-ending showdown with No. 16 BYU. That brings me to my closing segment today ...

Picking Splinters' Premature Projections

Utah will make a BCS bowl. About as likely as: Obama defeating McCain in the presidential election.

No ACC team will compete for the national championship. About as likely as: Obama defeating McCain in a game of one-on-one basketball.

Though they haven't even started their schedule yet, someone will call for Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weiss to be fired at some point this year. About as likely as: McCain defeating Obama in a game of "Uncle." To clarify — That's a sure thing, folks.