The Beginning of Fall (Part II)

Rivalry renewed, at least for one more season. The two SEC powers that went 5-7 in 2008 will battle it out on Saturday in what should be an exciting game in Knoxville. Auburn has an offense that is second in the SEC in both rushing and passing, but whose defense ranks eighth and has yet to hold a team under 24 points since week 1. Tennessee has a defense built by all-world defensive coordinator Monte Kiffen, who's been given loads of respect for slowing Florida, but the Vols have a QB who some want replaced with a giant catfish. The game will likely turn on turnovers - something Tennessee's QB likes to do and something Auburn's special team is likely to give right back.

Auburn and Tennessee used to be a big SEC rivalry before the two teams broke off play with the conference split in 1992. the Tigers could actually go 10 years without losing to the Vols, (going 5-0 in that span) and wouldn't rotate UT back on until 2013. While Auburn has not historically performed well in Knoxville (or against Tennessee in general), and I'm about as pessimistic of an Auburn fan as they come, in looking ahead to the month of October, I have to think that Auburn's toughest game is at Arkansas. For those who don't know, I'm putting the Razorbacks ahead of at Tennessee, at LSU, Ole Miss and Kentucky.

Notre Dame will play for the National Title as soon as Lou knows the difference between Cal and Oregon. The Irish have perhaps the country's best quarterback, but the question is whether their decisive schematic advantage is ever going to kick in... well, actually it probably will since their schedule strength is about to drop.

Purdue and Michigan State gave the Irish everything they wanted. But with Washington and USC looking vulnerable and the rest of the schedule looking relatively pedestrian, the Irish has a good shot at ending the season at 10-2, and even 11-1. Of course, given the schedule, someone might want to ask whether an 11-1 Irish squad would be any more deserving of a 12-0 Boise State, TCU, Houston or 11-1 BYU.

Tigers, Rebels, Dawgs or Cocks? So just who is the No. 3 team in the SEC? Ole Miss was obviously very overrated at No. 4, but don't give up on the Rebels just yet. Ole Miss is likely to surprise some people, just as they did last year against Florida, but they can't wear the 'favorites' tag. The Rebs still have a good enough team to upset Alabama at home, but all the breaks are going to have to go their way. I've told a few people, but I'm going to go on record and say that Vandy will knock off Ole Miss this weekend in Nashville. The Commodores aren't nearly as good as some of their fans hoped them to be after demolishing Western Carolina, but I think the Rebs are still looking back at last week's loss and peering ahead to the showdown against Alabama. At the very least, take Vandy and the points.

LSU is now going to make it 5-for-5. One team in the top 5 has lost each week of the 2009 season, and LSU is going to be the next. I don't necessarily think UGA is a top 15 team, but they'll be hovering outside of the top 10 after the beatdown of the Tigers this weekend. LSU is ready to get tagged.

I'm starting to get on the South Carolina bandwagon. Spurrier got the lead early against Ole Miss and didn't put too much pressure on Stephen Garcia to make plays, making the Cocks offense way too predictable, but USC is an errant throw away from being unbeaten. They're now in position to be 5-1 heading into the Bama game, and they've already shown they can fight hard on the road. Ole Miss is going to take it to Bama, but the best chance of the Tide being upset in October comes Oct. 17 at home against USC.

Oh the little ones. Ok, I'll bite. We had this last year with East Carolina, who knocked off both Virginia Tech and West Virginia before falling in conference play, but I'll go along with the Cougars. Yes, I know Conference USA is nothing, but so long as Houston comes out determined and ready to play every week, doesn't have a near collapse against a marginal team (i.e. no overtime games or last minute game winning drives), and beats the lowest of C-USA teams by 21 points, then I'll concede to thinking they're BCS Championship worthy. I'll be watching though, Houston; any slip-ups and you and Boise will be permanently stuck around No. 10.

TCU won't go unbeaten this season, and even if they did, I'm not ready to say they should have a shot for the title. A win at Clemson was big, but they would have three conference wins bigger than taking down Virginia. A win at BYU in a few weeks will resonate loudly, but the Horned Frogs can't really overcome the statement that Houston has made.

Boise State is capable of making a BCS bowl, but will need both TCU and Houston to have a loss, and might even need for BYU to have two (though now that Florida State (and by comparison, Miami) look average at best, that loss two weeks ago in Provo is going to hinder the Cougars. As for the No. 4 Southern Fan ranking, get ready for a bunch of upset Idahoans; as the season goes on, more and more credit will be given to BCS teams with one (and even two) loss(es). The Broncos rank will slowly sink from their No. 4 perch.

Thanks again Oregon. What you couldn't show up in Boise in Week 1, and have played mediocre against Utah and Purdue, but then blow the doors off of Cal? Great, and now Boise is a top 5 team with absolutely no one on the schedule with a pulse. Boise's going to be able to ride that Oregon game all year, and the Ducks will end up second in the Pac-10 (behind USC) and all the ESPN talking heads will spout that Boise is ready for a national title appearance. Wait until Chip Kelly gets my invoice for lost enjoyment of the 2009 football season.