A Second Chance for Georgia Fans

As I write this on Tuesday morning, August 30, 2016, Kirby Smart has not yet officially announced who the starting quarterback will be when Georgia opens their 2016 season this Saturday against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

Let me go ahead and spoil the surprise for you, Jacob Eason will start Saturday for Georgia, and the reason, is quite simple. If Lambert was starting, why wait to announce it? What a dramatic moment for a first year head coach, “I am pleased to announce that our starting quarterback is going to be the senior who started last year and won 10 games.” That announcement would be completely unnecessary. Do you think North Carolina would be changing their game plan when they find out that the noodle-armed quarterback will be under center for Georgia?

No, there is only one reason to wait to announce the starter, and that is to protect the freshman from all of you crazy people for at least four more days. Eason has won this job. He has been taking the majority of the snaps with the first team offense for the better part of two weeks, and he is clearly going to be the quarterback at some point this season, so why wait?

Coach Smart can make this call because of the announcement he did make on Monday. Nick Chubb is fully cleared to play without limitations against the Tar Heels on Saturday. Meanwhile, Sony Michel is day to day, but then again, aren’t we all?

Again, spoiler alert, Sony will play, Chubb will be the Chubb of old, and we are all going to be very excited to see what the future is going to look like when Elijah Holyfield carries the ball.

While I don’t expect Eason to be the star of the North Carolina game, it is clear that he is about to be given a huge responsibility. Let me list for you the names of quarterbacks who did not start their first game as a true freshman at Georgia: Aaron Murray, Matt Stafford, DJ Shockley, David Greene, Eric Zeier. Technically, the last Georgia quarterback to start as a true freshman was Quincy Carter, however, Carter was 22 years old because he had spent 4 years playing baseball in the minor leagues before he got to Georgia.

In the last 25 years, no 18 year old freshman quarterback has started at Georgia, so the rest of this blog is going to be a public service announcement to Georgia fans.

Over the past two seasons, we have seen some of the worst quarterback play we have ever seen at Georgia. With all offense to Hutson Mason, Bryce Ramsey, and most importantly Grayson Lambert, watching these guys play quarterback over the past two seasons has made me want to vomit. It should have also given the entire Bulldog Nation some much needed perspective.

For four years, I had to hear ignorant Georgia fans (you know who you are) complain about Aaron Murray. Those fans begged for Hutson Mason, they begged for anyone who wasn’t Aaron Murray.

Outside of Lambert’s performance against South Carolina last season, which was impressive, there has not been one memorable performance by a Georgia quarterback since Murray got hurt at the end of the 2013 season against Kentucky.

Now, let me take you on a quick trip down memory lane and give you some of the memorable performances from Aaron Murray, the trash quarterback.

Kentucky 2013: Murray tares his ACL, but stays in the game to finish the drive and score a touchdown on the last drive he would ever play in Sanford Stadium. Dawgs win on senior night.

Auburn 2013: Georgia comes back from three scores down to take the lead on the Tigers, with Murray’s fourth and goal quarterback sneak finally giving Georgia the lead in the fourth quarter. After the Miracle at Jordan-Hare, Murray marched the team back down the field to give Georgia a couple of shots into the endzone at the end of the game, nearly being killed on the last play of the game as he tried to will the team to victory.

LSU 2013: Murray leads Georgia to an upset victory over the Tigers and former Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

Alabama 2012: Murray drives Georgia to within 8 yards of the National title game despite the fact that Georgia was severally outmatched by perhaps the best Alabama team Saban has coached.

Florida 2012: Murray fights against Florida’s great defense all game, and ultimately hits Malcolm Mitchell for the go ahead touchdown as the Dawgs upset #2 Florida.

Those were the memories I came up with. I did no research, looked up no stats, these are games that stick out in my mind when Aaron Murray either led Georgia to victory, or kept Georgia in a game where they had no business even competing.

Georgia’s losses were always hung around Murray’s neck, but the fact of the matter is that he is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever wear the red and black, and he never got the respect he deserved from Georgia fans. Think about it this way, Murray led Georgia to the SEC title game twice. That is the same number of times David Greene led Georgia to the SEC title game, once more than DJ Shockley, and two more than Matt Stafford, Quincy Carter, and Eric Zeire did combined.

Why am I saying all this?

Georgia fans, you have a chance to be different this time. Jacob Eason is amazingly talented, but he is going to throw some interceptions. He’s going to make some bone-headed plays. He might even cost us a game or two throughout his time in Athens. BUT, at least he is going to be a viable quarterback who can make plays. Support him the way you should have supported Aaron Murray.

I’m not saying Eason will be the greatest quarterback in school history, but after the past two seasons, can’t we at least agree it is going to be nice having a guy in the pocket that could throw the ball more than 30 yards?

Be better Georgia fans. Remember Aaron Murray and remember the past two dreadful seasons at quarterback. Later this year, when Eason makes a terrible decision, remember how excited you are when he trots onto the field at the Georgia Dome on Saturday. He’s not going to be a perfect quarterback, but he’s our quarterback. Support him or be quite, but don’t bash him. He’s 18 years old with the weight of 36 years of disappointment on his shoulders. We can’t win them all this year, but we can show that we aren’t as stupid as we looked from 2010-2013 while we booed a great quarterback and a great kid.

Schedule Breakdown Part 2

If you haven’t checked out Part 1 of the schedule breakdown, check it out first.

October 29: v. Florida (Jacksonville)

Both Jim Donnan and Mark Richt lost their first meetings to the Gators in Jacksonville. In fact, between the two coaches, Georgia only won 6 games against the Gators. The last two years have been utter embarrassments for Georgia. One of the biggest things about Kirby Smart coming back to Georgia to be the head coach is the understanding that he brings about the school, the team, and the rivalries that matter the most to fans. I think Florida is very overrated this season, and Kirby will have this date circled on his calendar. If Georgia wins, Kirby will be one of only two living Georgia coaches to have a winning record against the Gators. Jacksonville has been a house of horrors for Georgia, but I think Kirby will start to turn it back into a house of joy for Georgia fans.

Georgia 42   Florida 28

November 5: @ Kentucky

Kentucky will host Georgia between road games at Missouri and at Tennessee. Mark Stoops could be on the hot seat by the time this game rolls around. Kentucky needs to break through a beat one of the three traditional powers in the East. If Georgia is victorious in Jacksonville, like I think they will be, this could be a classic trap game for the Dawgs. A road trip to Lexington isn’t typically scary, but a road trip to Lexington played between the Cocktail Party and hosting Auburn is a bit more scary. Georgia hasn’t lost in Lexington in 10 years, and I just happen to remember that game all too well. I sat in the endzone as it snowed in Lexington and watched Georgia’s offense sputter it’s way to a loss. This is the last road game for Georgia in 2016, and nothing will come easy.

Georgia 24    Kentucky 20

November 12: Auburn

The Gus Bus pulls into Athens, for what I predict will be the last time, as Georgia returns home for the first time since Homecoming against Vanderbilt. If my predictions hold true, Georgia will be in position to clinch the SEC East with a win over their second biggest rival. Another interesting thing about this game is that Georgia’s athletic department has already announced that the team will be wearing black jerseys at some point this season. This game would make the most sense as it is much cooler in November than it will be earlier in the season. The original blackout game was against Auburn in 2007, so it would seem appropriate that the new tradition of wearing black for one home game a season re-start where it all began. On the field, Georgia will be much, much better than Auburn by this point in the season. If the wheels are off the Gus Bus, this one could get very ugly.

Georgia 36   Auburn 16

November 19: UL Lafayette

Nothing to say about this game.

Georgia A lot    ULL not a lot

November 26: Tech

My theory about Kirby is that he will not only get the program on the right track, but he will also focus on doing what is most important to Georgia fans, beating our biggest rivals. For all his struggles against Florida, Mark Richt got it right with Georgia’s other rivals. Richt had a winning record against Auburn and Tennessee, and an impressive 13-2 record against Tech. Richt restored order to a rivalry that had gotten sideways under Jim Donnan, with Tech winning three straight in the series in the late ‘90s. Georgia will be heading to Atlanta to play for the SEC title a week after this game, and depending on how the opener goes against UNC, they could be playing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. There is no way, no way, that Georgia will lose to Tech.

Georgia 40     Tech 21

As you see, if Georgia can manage the early part of their schedule, there is no reason to think they can’t be one of the hottest teams in football heading into their November schedule. November should be a time for the Dawgs to rise up the rankings while other teams drop out of the title picture. Of course this is the SEC, and anyone can win any game, any week, but as far as SEC schedules go, Georgia’s is amazingly manageable this year.

It is hard to believe, but I think the opener against UNC could be the defining moment of the season. Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Tech are not going to be good. I think Tennessee and Florida are two of the most overrated teams in the country. Ole Miss is good, but their early season schedule could have them in a tailspin by the time Georgia travels to Oxford. Georgia will be favored in at least 11 of the 12 games they play this season, with the Ole Miss game being the only exception. Mark Richt lost his job because he couldn’t live up to expectations. Kirby won’t enter the season with a lot of hype, but let this team go undefeated in September, and the hype machine will be working overtime.

10-2 at worst and playing in Atlanta. That isn’t just what we should expect, it is what we deserve.

Glory, Glory

2016 Schedule Breakdown Part 1

There are so many factors that go into having a successful season as a college football team, it is hard to identify the most important one. However, in the modern world of college football, there is no doubt that the schedule each team plays factors in greatly to who will ultimately win divisions, conferences, and sometimes, the national title.

No one knows how much a schedule can influence a season like Georgia fans. Take 2011 for instance. Georgia lost their first two games of the season to Boise State and South Carolina, then played no team ranked in the Top 25 for the remainder of the season. They won 10 straight games to go 10-2, and 7-1 in the SEC. They won the Eastern Division and played for the SEC title. That was not a very good team. LSU beat Georgia in the SEC title game, and the Dawgs also dropped their bowl game to Michigan State, finishing the season 10-4. Which doesn’t sound bad, but they lost to every good team they played.

Last season, Georgia went undefeated in September and November, which would typically mean a pretty good season. But as we all know, the Dawgs were just 1-3 in October, which cost Georgia a shot at the SEC title and Mark Richt his job.

The 2016 schedule is very interesting. Georgia’s opponents went a combined 74-76 in 2015, which would rank them right in the middle of the pack in the nation. 5 of Georgia’s 12 opponents had winning records overall in 2015. However, only 4 of the 12 won more than 3 games in their respective conferences last season. Four teams on Georgia schedule are ranked in the Preseason Top 25, but Georgia plays three of those teams in their first five games.

All of that adds up to a schedule that has some big games on it, but should be manageable, much like the 2011 schedule. The weak SEC East means that Georgia's record may not truly reflect the quality of the team on the field, but more importantly, it may give Coach Smart and his staff a little breathing room to get this team better as the year goes along. 

Enough stats. Here is part one of the game by game break down for 2016 with a sure to change prediction for each contest.

September 3: v. North Carolina (Georgia Dome, Atlanta)

Now why would I tell you what I think is going to happen on Saturday? You will have to wait until later in the week to get a preview of the opener.

September 10: v. Nicholls State

There is nothing to break down here. Georgia will win Kirby Smart’s home opener by at least 30 points. The bigger question for this game will be surrounding the quarterback position. If Eason doesn’t start the opening game, I think he will play and probably play well. Having him play significant time against a team like Nicholls State could be important in his development. While the competition won’t be up to par, it will be good practice for him in managing the play clock and getting players into the right positions. If Georgia loses the opener, I think Eason may play the majority of this game to get ready to start the rest of the season.

Georgia 56  Nicholls State 9

September 17: @ Missouri

The last time Georgia played in Columbia, Missouri, Nick Chubb ran all over the Tigers in a 30-0 blowout. Missouri fell off the map last season going only 1-7 in SEC play. Like Georgia, Missouri has a new head coach and a ton of questions. Georgia has never lost to Missouri in Columbia, and I don’t see that changing. Whether or not Chubb and Michel are ready for the opening game of the season, both will be ready to go by mid-September which means it won’t matter who is playing quarterback. Georgia will run, run, and run some more and overwhelm the Tigers with their talent. I think Eason will start this game and the rest of the season, and he will probably be asked to do very little.

Georgia 27   Missouri 13

September 24: @ Ole Miss

Now things get interesting. Ole Miss has a lot of questions surrounding their program after a pay for play scandal rocked them back in the spring. They lost three first round draft picks to the NFL, but they return the best passer in the SEC in Chad Kelly. The biggest question coming into this game is what will Ole Miss’ record be? The Rebels play FSU on Labor Day night, and host Alabama on September 17. If Georgia is facing at 1-2 Ole Miss, it will be a much different game than if they are facing a 3-0 Ole Miss. The other interesting aspect of this game is that it comes the week before Ole Miss plays Memphis, who beat the Rebels last year. At this point, my guess is that Ole Miss drops the FSU game but beats Alabama, which could mean that Georgia catches them at just the right time, but that still might not be enough to pull off the upset in Oxford.

Georgia 30  Ole Miss 31

October 1: v. Tennessee

At worst, Georgia is 1-1 in the SEC coming into this game, which means if Georgia beats Tennessee, they will be in the driver’s seat for Atlanta. The Vols will be in a situation much like Ole Miss the week before. Tennessee plays Florida on September 24, and travels to Texas A&M the week after making the trip to Athens. Two weeks after the Georgia game, the Vols face the Tide. Tennessee gave away games last season against Oklahoma and Florida, and then Georgia returned the favor by giving away a 24-3 half time lead to the Vols in Knoxville. This game will determine the season. Predicting the game now is almost a waste of time, but I’ll give Georgia the slight edge since they get to play at home.

Georgia 24  Tennessee 20

October 8: @ South Carolina

There are going to be some close games and some competitive games in the early part of the 2016 season, but this game will not be one of them. Georgia is going to demolish South Carolina. By this point in the season, the Dawgs will be battle tested, and the young offensive players will have come into their own. South Carolina is going to be bad and watching Wil Muschamp explode on the sideline for 4 quarters will be some much needed comic relief after some very close and stress-filled games. Time for some payback for a long, long night I personally endured in 2012 at Williams Bryce Stadium.

Georgia 42  South Carolina 10

October 15: v. Vanderbilt (Homecoming)                    

Can you imagine how beautiful October 15^th will be in Athens? No matter how many loses Georgia might have at this point, and it could be as much three losses, Homecoming is a special day. Georgia’s season will most likely be defined by the time Vanderbilt comes to town, but this should be a day where all Georgia fans can come together and enjoy a win. Vanderbilt will be middle of the pack in a very weak eastern division, so it may be a little closer than you might think, but Georgia will get the win.

Georgia 24   Vanderbilt 16

Georgia has a bye week on October 22 leading into the Cocktail Party against the Gators. Check out how the Dawgs will finish 2016 in Part 2 of the schedule breakdown.

Quarterback Battle Do-over

I already wrote this blog. It was weeks ago honestly, and it seemed apparent to me that the much talked about race to be Georgia’s starting quarterback was down to two choices. It was going to be the experienced quarterback that could come in, run the offense efficiently, and give the team a chance to depend on the vaunted running attack to win games, or it was going to be the talented new comer who had the fan base’s hopes as high as they have been in a decade.

That blog ended with me drawing the conclusion that both quarterbacks would play in the first game, with Lambert starting. I figured that Eason would play well enough to become the obvious starter by the time the SEC schedule rolled around at the end of September. It was a good blog.

Now, just a couple of weeks into fall practice, I am ready to post that blog, but there is a problem. The third guy in the quarterback race, Bryce Ramsey, has not only avoided being eliminated, but if you believe reports from Georgia’s first scrimmage, he may even be the favorite to be the starter.

The reasons I discounted Ramsey are numerous. First, Ramsey was more effective last season as a punter than he was as a quarterback. As the most experienced returning starter heading into the 2015 season, it should have been Ramsey’s job to lose, and perhaps it was. As August of 2015 rolled along, more and more the transfer from Virginia, Lambert seemed to be outpacing Ramsey. There were multiple reports that the difference in the two quarterbacks came down to their work in the film room, which translated onto the field. To put it simply, Ramsey didn’t want to do the work off the field that it took to be a starter in the SEC.

Secondly, with Eason’s arrival, most believed it was simply a matter of when rather than if he would become Georgia’s starter. We all saw Lamberts limitations last season, so there is no reason to sit a talent like Eason just to have him take his lumps next year as a first year starter. If Eason is going to be the man, why not let him be the man from day one, or maybe day two if needed. Ramsey is just a junior, and if he won the job, that meant that Eason could, theoretically, not see the field until his third year in Athens.

Finally, in the brief time that we saw Ramsey at quarterback last season, he seemed overmatched. If you think back to the Alabama game, Ramsey came in to a standing ovation as Georgia’s offense was desperate for a spark. On his first possession under center, he threw a terrible deep pass towards the end zone that was easily picked off. In watching the replay, Ramsey seemed to have decided that he was going deep in the huddle, because if he would have looked down field before making the pass, he would have thrown the ball away. This type of error, of which there are a few examples, speak to Ramsey’s lack of preparedness. His career stats are underwhelming to say the least. He has completed 45/74 passes in his career for 582 yards, with 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Mediocrity at the quarterback position is something that Georgia fans are all too familiar with after the past two seasons.

I have always thought that this race would come down to the guy with more talent versus the guy who as the safe pick for a first year coach, but it could come down to the guy in the middle. Ramsey’s arm is better than Lambert’s, but not better than Eason’s. Ramsey has more experience than Eason, but not as much as Lambert. While Ramsey might not offer the big production long term, maybe he offers more production with less risk in the short term.

Following the first scrimmage, Kirby said that no quarterback had been eliminated from contention to be the starter, but that the coaching staff would have to make some decisions following the second scrimmage this past weekend. It is vital that the quarterback be named soon so they can take the snaps with the first team offense in the two weeks leading up to the UNC game.

I still feel that Eason will be the quarterback at some point this season, but this staff seems much more dedicated to putting the guy who has earned the job on the field. Middle linebacker, Tim Kimbrough left the team last week because the coaching staff wouldn’t give him his starting job back. As much as I hated to lose Kimbrough, I’m glad this staff isn’t giving anyone anything.

I may be in the minority, but I think Nick Chubb is going to be close to 100% when it comes time to play UNC, and I think Sony Michel will play as well. The quarterback will need to make some plays, but they won’t have to win the game on September 3^rd.

Kirby has done everything right so far at Georgia, but this decision will be the first real test of Kirby Smart the head football coach. Will he name a starter for week one? Will he name a starter for the season? Will he play more than one guy? Will he play more than two guys? We truly don’t know, and I don’t think the coaches know either. Kirby, like Nick Saban, is good at coach-speak, but the reality may not fall too far from what Kirby is telling the media. None of the quarterbacks have won the job, and none of the quarterbacks have lost he job.

The transition at Georgia has been a smooth one, but if this quarterback battle lingers into the season, it could spell disaster for the 2016 campaign. 

Names You Need to Know for 2016

This is one of my favorite blogs to write each year. Each year Georgia will sign around 24 players in February, and each August, I try to narrow down that long list of unknown names to a handful of players that I think will contribute during the upcoming season.

Last year, I told you about Mr. Thompson, who would have been an all SEC defensive linemen if he hadn’t gotten hurt in the middle of the season, and Terry Godwin, who quickly became Georgia’s number two receiver last season. Godwin’s versatility even saw him taking snaps in the “Wild Dawg” formation later in the season when it was obvious that Georgia’s quarterbacks were more of a liability than a weapon.

In years past, I gave you names like Nick Chubb and Lorenzo Carter. I’m not always right about the guys who could have a big impact, but there is rarely a player that does make an impact that I didn’t profile, so start committing these names to memory, and you can impress your friends this fall.

This year’s edition of the Names You Need to Know is a little different. First, there are a few more names than in years past. The signing class that Georgia brought in, combined with the fact that there are major depth concerns at some positions, means that more young players will not only play, but be asked to contribute in 2016. The second reason is because the number one name you need to know in 2016 is a name you already know, so there is no reason in me taking an extended look at Jacob Eason. There will be plenty of time to talk about Eason and the QB battle throughout fall camp.

So, with that said, here are the names you need to know for 2016: (Player #)

Julian Rochester (#5): Five-star defensive linemen Julian Rochester could be one of the most important players for Georgia in 2016. Coach Smart has repeatedly talked about the importance of being better and bigger on the defensive line, and at 6-5, 327lbs, Rochester teamed with Mr. Thompson could make Georgia’s defense one of the best in the conference, if not the country.

Isaac Nauta (#18): Nauta was ranked as the number one tight-end prospect in the entire country. He committed to the Dawgs during the Under Armor All America game back in January. Nauta formed a bond with Jacob Eason and committed to Georgia primarily because of that bond. Nauta is 6-4, 247 lbs and should see a good deal of playing time behind starting tight-end, Jeb Blazevich. New offensive coordinator Jim Cheney loves to use tight-ends in his offense.

Riley Ridley (#8): Four-star wide receiver from Coconut Creek, Florida, Cavin Riley Ridley goes by Riley so you don’t get him confused with his brother, Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Riley was an early enrollee, and looked to have breakaway speed during the spring game. At 6-2, 195 lbs, Ridley will be in the running to become Georgia’s number two threat at the receiver position behind Terry Godwin.

Charlie Woerner(#89): Woerner is a four-star prospect from Rabun County. Unlike everyone else on this list, Woerner did not participate in any of the dog and pony shows that most recruits use to boost their player ranking. Instead, Woerner committed early to the Dawgs, enjoyed his senior year of high school, and caught 15 touchdowns while running for another during his senior season. Woerner will be a fan favorite, because he is a legacy. Charlie is the nephew of Georgia great, Scott Woerner, who was a captain of the 1980 National Championship team.

Ben Cleveland (#74): Please take one minute to Google a picture of Ben Cleveland. Look for the picture of Cleveland in a “Commit to the G” white shirt and a camo hat. That picture, tells you everything you need to know about Cleveland. He is nicknamed The Mountain after a Game of Thrones character. Cleveland is 6-6, 345 lbs of man from Toccoa, Georgia. Like Nauta, his friendship with Jacob Eason was one of the biggest factors in Cleveland committing to Georgia.

Elijah Holyfield (#13): Georgia fans hope that Elijah is a real deal chip off the old block. Elijah is the son of former boxing champion Evander Holyfield.  Elijah was a four-star running back recruit. The depth chart at running back for Georgia is full of question marks, so there is a chance that Holyfield could get some touches early in the season. Once Sony Michel is full strength the best Holyfield can hope for is third string, but Georgia has historically used multiple backs, so there is no reason to think that Holyfield can’t make an impact as a freshman.

Javon Wims (#6): A four-star junior college transfer, Wims will be looking to emerge as a redzone target for whoever the quarterback may be. At 6-4, 220 lbs, Wims offers a different threat than some of Georgia’s other receivers.

Tyler Catalina (#72): Catalina could very well be the most important new player Georgia has this fall. At 6-6 and 325 lbs, Catalina is a graduate transfer from the University of Rhode Island, where he was a captain and starter of all 11 games at left tackle. Georgia’s offensive line has some huge questions, and if Catalina can come in and solidify an offensive line position it will go a long way towards Georgia having a great season.

Mecole Hardmen (#4): The consensus number two player in the state of Georgia, five-star prospect Mecole Hardmen is listed as an “Athlete”. Most likely, Hardmen will be playing defensive back for Georgia, but he will absolutely be featured on the offensive side of the ball at times. At 5-11, Hardmen’s height dictates that he play cornerback, but his ball skills are fantastic, and he is, without a doubt, a superior athlete. Appropriately, Mecole will be wearing #4, also worn by UGA Great, Champ Bailey, who played both ways for Georgia in the late '90s. 

With the new coaching staff comes a new system both offensively and defensively, which will mean that returning players won’t have the advantage they would typically have over incoming players. Kirby Smart has been adamant that Georgia must improve their depth if they are going to be contenders. For Georgia to have a successful season, some of these new players are going to  have to step up and make an immediate impact.

Here’s to hoping they can do just that.

Go Dawgs.

A Feast of Games

We are only 29 days away from the start of the 2016 college football season. Just like every season, there will be big wins, upsets, hot seats, and games that we will never forget. Unlike previous seasons, 2016 offers what could be the greatest opening weekend in college football history.

Now I’m a big guy, and I like food, so I think the best way to describe the feast that we are in store for on opening weekend is by breaking it down as a delicious four-course meal.

So, here is what you can look forward to enjoying starting on September 1^st.

The Appetizer Course: Thursday September 1^st

7:30pm  Appalachian State @ Tennessee (SEC Network)

8:00pm South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (ESPN)

Ok, so maybe this is pretty thin, but after having no football for so long, trust me you will be starving by the time these games come around. Look at it this way, at least it will be fun to watch crazy Wil Muschamp pick up his first of what will be many loses as Carolina’s head coach.

The Salad Course: Friday September 2^nd

7:30pm Northwestern State @ Baylor (FSN)

8:00pm Colorado State @ Colorado (ESPN)

9:00pm Kansas State @ Stanford (FS1)

I’ll admit, no one typically likes the salad course, but there are at least some interesting story lines here. Baylor lost the offseason as the biggest dumpster fire in college football, so it will be very interesting to see how their team and fans react to returning to the field after all of the disgraceful things that have happened in Waco over the past few months. Mike Bobo starts year two at Colorado State by taking on their in-state rivals, Colorado. If you can stay up to watch Stanford you will see one of the favorites for the Heisman, Christian McCaffrey, the Stanford running back who is one of the most exciting players in the country.

The Main Course: Saturday September 3^rd

7:30am Boston College v. Tech (ESPN 2, in Dublin, Ireland)

Noon Oklahoma v. Houston (ABC, in Houston Texans Stadium)

3:30pm UCLA @ Texas A&M (CBS)

3:30pm LSU v. Wisconsin (ABC, Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin)

5:30pm North Carolina v. Georgia (ESPN, Georgia Dome)

8:00pm USC v. Alabama (ABC, in Dallas, Texas)

9:00pm Clemson @ Auburn (ESPN)

The official rankings haven’t come out yet, but there is no doubt that the top three teams in college football, Clemson, Alabama, and Oklahoma are all playing a legitimate opponent in the first week of the season. Throw in a breakfast date in Dublin, Les Miles at Lambeau, the Kirby Smart era kicking off in the Georgia Dome, and a very interesting matchup between Jim Mora and Kevin Sumlin, and you have a fantastic, full day of college football. It is doubtful that all of these games will end up being classics, but one thing is for sure, we are going to find out a lot about the 2016 season on the first full day of the 2016 season.

Finishing off someone else’s plate: Sunday September 4^th

7:30pm Notre Dame @ Texas (ABC)

With the NFL not starting until the following weekend, two of the most storied programs in college football history will take the stage on Sunday night to kick off their seasons. Notre Dame has aspirations of returning to a New Year’s Six Bowl, while Texas’ coach Charlie Strong is probably on his last leg in Austin unless the Longhorns can turn things around in 2016.

Dessert: Monday September 5^th (Labor Day Night)

8:00pm Ole Miss v. Florida State (ESPN, in Orlando, Florida)

Hugh Freeze and the Rebels are grateful to Baylor for all of their trouble, or it would be Ole Miss with the title of biggest dumpster fire in college football. The clean cut coach has been accused by former players of overseeing a program with a system in place of pay players money. Freeze and his team have lost some of their biggest names from the past few seasons, but quarterback Chad Kelly returns to power Ole Miss again in 2016. Meanwhile, FSU hopes to knock off Clemson as kings of the ACC and return to the college football playoff.

Now, I will have to work for a lot of the weekend, but if you have the chance, at least spend all of Saturday with your feet propped up watching football. As always, the season will go by quicker than you think. For all those lonely Saturdays we have endured throughout the summer, take one day to celebrate the majesty that is college football.

Besides, week 2 sucks.