Not So Fast, Julio

After what can only be described as the gambler's paradise of 2007, the fallout from week one of this year's college football season is relatively painless. And predictable. The teams that should have won pretty much did, the exception being Virginia Tech, and the teams that were going to lose pretty much did that too (You'll get 'em next year, Mississippi St!). The only real bone I have to pick is with the public response following the Clemson-Alabama debacle Saturday night in Hotlanta.

Leaving MSU out of the equation, the SEC pretty much rolled all weekend, leaving relative non SEC equals such Louisville, N.C. State, Miami (OH), and Memphis in their wake. I mean that relative to the teams they played, not the conference as a whole. Anywho, you'd think they were putting in a Sears down the street for all the glee of the Alabama faithful. In reality, you beat the most poorly coached, over hyped team in all of college football.

I couldn't even turn on ESPN this summer without being force fed garbage about this being Clemson's year and the sacrifices that stud running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller were making to stay off of NFL and other colleges' rosters. Please duck and cover for what will surely be a biblical pouring out of wrath on an unsuspecting ACC schedule. Lightning and Thunder, Thunder and Lightning, somebody find a billboard to stick them on. Lets take a peak at Saturday's box score.

James Davis, 6 carries for 13 yeards.
C.J. Spiller, 2 carries for 7 yards.

8 carries. 8 carries. Backup UGA running back Richard Samuel and thrid string QB Logan Grey combined for 8 carries in Athens on Saturday. Noel Devine (WV) had 9 carries, as did his QB, and this was with Pat White throwing the ball 33 times. Thunder and lightning, the most explosive decoys in the history of the NCAA.

C.J. Spiller caught 2 passes for 27 yeards, James Davis caught 1 for 11 yards.

The N.C. State secondary caught one more pass than these two did combined on the way to being whipped 34-0.

Clemson's lone TD of the game came from a 96 yard C.J. Spiller kick off return, one of four kick off returns he made. He also had a punt return for 9 yards. This means the junior from Lake Butler, Florida touched the ball 9 times, 5 of which were on special teams. Of his two carries, one was for 8 yards and the other he got hit for a 1 yard loss. Then he snagged some gatorade and hit the whirlpool.

Animosity for this game aside, I'm not a Clemson fan. I dont have a problem with them per se, just never found a seat on the bandwagon. That being said I'd be the first to applaud Auburn-with-a-lake if they could find a way to finally run Tommy Bowden out of town. Then they could bring in a Tommy Tuberville type who found success utilizing a two running back system after he took over for Tommy Bowden's brother. Clemson could pull off what Cadillac and Ronnie Brown carried Auburn towards, but they're going to have to let James and C.J. touch the ball.

And Alabama, for the love of God put together a few games before you annouce that world domination is at your finger tips. This any-port-in-a-storm method of proclaiming greatness after a victory is a little tired. I mean, why even play out the schedule? Somebody give Alabama the national championship trophy, did ya see em beat Clemson? As did Auburn in the last game Clemson played, goofy elephants, just after they beat you.

For the record I'm not an Auburn fan either.

But I am a fan of college football, and was therefore annoyed when the Tide announced they were back after thumping an eventual SEC East winning Tennessee team last year. South Carolina has beaten every team in the East since Spurrier returned and the average fan from Knoxville, Gainesville, Lexington, Nashville, and Athens is sent to fits of giggling when someone suggests that the Gamecocks are back. (This is, of course, because they were never really here to begin with.)

Nobody even suggested that Georgia be allowed to tune up the guitars on the main stage until they could go down to Jacksonville and get it right once or twice. Nor should they have. So I say win the west, Alabama, stand atop Auburn and LSU and I'll clap for you. I'll even shake your hand when you're in line next to me at the package store waiting to purchase your Milwaukee's Best or when you're asking me for spare change. (I won't have any.) And good luck to you this year, because beating a rudderless Clemson ship with no one at the helm isn't going to do much for you when you head to Athens, Knoxville, and Baton Rouge this fall.

We three are already back.