So appreciated a spectacle is college football that we boisterously applaud its arrival regardless of how the first wave of games plays out. Great matchups, mediocre matchups, doesn’t matter. What does is that there is tackling, tailgating and a halftime tuba section, and not necessarily in that order.
The past weekend wasn’t one we’ll be talking about 30 years from now. Maybe not 30 minutes from now. But it is in the books and this is what know:
• Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is a much better passer than leader. The Oklahoma quarterback sustained a shoulder injury in the second quarter of a 14-13 loss to BYU, then spent the remainder of the game wandering around the Sooners’ sideline as if he had lost his dog when he could have been in the ear of his backup, redshirt freshman Landry Jones.
As to whether Jones might have benefited from soaking up sideline instruction from a fired-up Bradford, we’ll never know. However, after losing by a single point, words of encouragement from the winner of the sport’s highest honor might have been what was needed to get Oklahoma over the hump.
• It’s Florida’s national title to lose. Not only could the Gators have eclipsed triple-digits against Charleston Southern (I’m online researching to see if that’s a college or high school), they have the premier leader in the long and distinguished history of college football in senior quarterback Tim Tebow. An Oct. 10 date at LSU is the only potential stumbling block separating Florida from a date in the annual SEC Championship Game, where it will mop up either Alabama or LSU.
• The heat is on Ohio State. The Buckeyes were supposed to shoo away Navy with relative ease and in turn feed the hype machine prior to this weekend’s home date with perennial power USC. Instead, OSU squeaked past the Middies, 31-27, and now looks like a squad primed to get stomped into its own turf by the Trojan Horse.
If there is good news for the Big Ten, it’s that Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue might be better than first thought. Conversely, Ohio State, Illinois and Wisconsin might be worse.
• BCS Championship Game dark horse: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys will be taking a spotless 7-0 record into their Oct. 31 showdown with Texas in Stillwater. OSU’s next-most-difficult outing comes Nov. 28 at Oklahoma, which may not be as difficult as it sounds if Bradford’s shoulder isn’t sufficiently healed.
Just think, Florida vs. Oklahoma State in the Rose Bowl for all the marbles. Sure, it’s a reach. A lot of orange, too.
• Mike Beas is a freelance writer/columnist and Kokomo native who resides in Carmel. He may be reached at mbeas@att.net.
Sports
BEAS: Wheee! college football is here
Even when it’s not pretty, it’s still our game.
- Sports
-
-
Western girls put defensive clamps on West Lafayette
Western opened its postseason by putting on a defensive clinic against host West Lafayette Wednesday night in a Class 3A Sectional opening round game.
-
Rival Berries visit Kokomo
Muncie Central has the North Central Conference boys basketball championship in sight. The Class 3A No. 2-ranked Bearcats are 5-0 in league play with games remaining against second-division squads Anderson and Marion.
-
Black takes spot among Taylor’s elite
Growing up, Mone’y Black always saw herself as a softball player first.
She was Taylor’s go-to player for the large portions of her career on the basketball and volleyball courts, but her first love was the diamond.
-
Kats lose heartbreaker
Kokomo’s girls basketball team executed its game plan to near perfection against host Logansport in the first game of the Class 4A Logansport Sectional Tuesday.
-
Tipton races by Taylor
Over the last two seasons, Tipton’s girls basketball team has been held under 40 points in just three games.
Tuesday’s sectional opponent — Taylor — held the Blue Devils down in two of those games. Tuesday was a different story.
-
It’s tourney time
In the girls basketball regular season, Tipton and Logansport compiled gaudy records and conference championships while Taylor and Kokomo finished with sub-.500 records.
-
What a kick for Hoosier native Weatherford
Indianapolis — While Steve Weatherford celebrated with his teammates in the New York Giants’ locker room after the 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, thoughts inevitably turned to Terre Haute — his hometown.
-
Ice baths can improve your health
Several years ago, I applied to be a participant in the weekly television show “Survivor.” Disappointingly, I was rejected.
-
Wiechmann comes up big in regional
Western senior wrestler Jake Wiechmann had lost twice this season to Kokomo standout Fletcher Miller, and was trailing 3-1 to Miller in the third period of the championship of the 182-pound match at the Peru Regional Saturday when the opportunity for vengeance struck.
-
Wildkat wrestlers move nine onto Ft. Wayne semistate
The Kokomo Wildkats’ bus will need just a little bit more gas than usual next weekend to haul its cargo up to Fort Wayne for Saturday’s individual wrestling semistate at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
