2017-09-08 13:41

One Hurricane down, the next is up.

Irma will hit Florida hard on Saturday and the consequences are cancelled games, all over the place.
The NFL did shift the Miami - Tampa Bay game to an so far unknown other date and the Florida located college teams did the same.
Florida - Northern Colorado, Florida State - Louisiana Monroe, Memphis - UCF, South Florida - UConn, Miami - Arkansas State. all cancelled due to the storm.
Some games were away games, but the teams feared unknown conditions for the trip home, so they decided to stay at home.
The Gators games was first shifted to noon, but then cancelled, after it became clear that this would not help in terms of evacuation and safty of the visitors.
Likely the team would have played in an empty stadium anyway.

Florida Atlantic is playing Wisconsin and will make the trip and will deal with problem of returning after the game.

Florida International will play on Friday.

Most of the other FCS teams out of Florida do have a bye week or an away game.


I selected this 3 games as the BLOCK OF GRANITE TOP 3 GAMES FOR WEEK 2

Sat, Sept. 9
#13 Auburn @ #3 Clemson
Gus Malzahn is in his 5th season as HC of Auburn and he is swimming for live.
After a great first season in 2014 with a SEC title and a lost national championship game, was the best win total of a season 8 wins, twice, each with a bowl loss.
Last time was last season.
Everybody wants him to be a winning coach, but expectations in Alabama are to win against the inner state rival and to win a title.
Less is ... under expectations.
Now they face the reigning national champion, on the road.
It's not important for the SEC standings, but for the playoffs, for both teams.
Clemson is facing eventually a rebuilding or a reloading phase and everyone expected them to be second to FSU this season.
But FSU might fall after their QB injury and if Clemson does in fact rebuild, this game here might become discounted fast.
I think Auburn will not win the SEC and they will not win this game.
Clemson will play tough football and will be a bit better than anticipated.
I trust Swinney, the Clemson HC more to field a competitive team than Malzahn.
Tigers win (haha ... Clemson of cause)

Sat, Sept. 9
#5 Oklahoma @ #2 Ohio State
The strangest coaching change of the season was Bob Stoobs farewell a few weeks before the season and the announcement of Sooners OC Lincoln Riley to take over the program.
It's his first gig as a HC and he gets one of the toughest spots in the country, at age 34.
Good luck with that.
I'm not saying this will backfire, or that he will not make it, I'm just having concerns.
His Sooners will meet the Buckeyes with one of the best coaches in college football right now, Urban Meyer.
For me this is already over, given the circumstances.
I just have doubts that Riley will beat one of the best teams in the country at week 2.
The Sooners will likely be still a good team this season, will compete for the Big 12, but winning today?
I would love to see that, but I doubt it.
Best chance would be to beat OSU like Indiana almost did last week, only top be better and faster, but this will not happen.
Meyer will prepare his kids and will work on the errors of last week.
Buckeyes win.

Sat, Sept. 9
#15 Georgia @#24 Notre Dame
Those teams did not meet sine ages. 1981 in the Sugar Bowl.
Since then did Notre Dame somehow lost it's national relevance and Georgia did become some kind of team finishing not better than 2nd.
The new coach Kirby Smart is supposed to change that.
He is supposed to beat at some point his former master Saban and to win the SEC, better, a national championship.
That was also Brian Kellys mission, but he is in his 8th season and did lead Notre Dame last season into one of the worst ever.
He needs a rebound, a good one.
Fact is, the Irish would love to have a national title again and a coach who can deliver that, but it seems the program is losing more and more prominence and the next coach after Kelly might not even be a top coach anymore.
The top coaches do s e l e c t teams with a winning chance, like Georgia.
This week this will be a good game.
I have doubts that the Irish will be able to handle a 2nd year under Smart Bulldogs team, but I'm willing to admit that the Irish did win some games I expected them to lose.
The Irish seem to lack the offense to win, so it will be interesting, whether their defense will compensate that.
I doubt it and will pick ...
Bulldogs win.

Other interesting games:

Sat, Sept. 9
#23 TCU @ Arkansas
There are not many coaches as secure as TCUs Gary Patterson. Last season the team had a down year, so usually that means this season it will win a lot more.
The Razorbacks are still looking for a stable form under Bret Bielema, who seems to be on a hot seat since week 1 of his 1st season.
Now in his 5th he will have to play the Horned Frogs, at home.
Coin flip, Razorbacks win.

Sat, Sept. 9
Pittsburgh @ #4 Penn State
James Franklin does have the Nittany Lions way ahead of schedule, regarding rebuilding the program and the pride.
Last season they lost in Pittsburgh, this year I think they will dominate at home.
Nittany Lions win.

Sat, Sept. 9
#14 Stanford @ #6 USC Trojans
Clay Helton at USC was a strange hire, but so far it worked out fot the Trojans, who do face David Shaw and his Cardinals.
Shaw is each year heavily recruited as HC for some other school, but he stays loyal to Stanford.
Some experts think that USC will stay unbeaten for most of the season, But I have doubts.
The Cardinals can play.
The home factor might prevent an upset, but I'm willing to gamble.
Cardinals win.

Tags: Block of Granite