Monday Tidbits for the Discerning Fan

NOTE: Word around the campfire is that you like quizzes. Cool. Here's as random and irreverent of a quiz as I can come up with that is (on occasion) loosely connected to this week's schedule.

1. Miami (OH) and Northwestern renew acquaintances. They've played 11 times previously. What is the series record?
2. Cincinnati has a chance to upset a B1G team when they play Nebraska. However, even if they do, it won't be their biggest upset over a B1G opponent. When, and against whom, did that take place?
3. There are a lot of teams traveling a long ways this weekend. What non-Hawaii team involved in a game featuring at least one FBS team is taking the longest trip?
4. What about the shortest trip?
5. What about the shortest trip that crosses a state line?
6. Syracuse heads to Atlanta to take on Tennessee. What SEC team did Syracuse defeat in the Carrier Dome in what was the last time this team left the South for a non-conference game in over 30 years?
7. Miami and Notre Dame played several famous games in the 1980's so it feels like a rivalry is being renewed after a long pause. However they had a home-and-home in 2016-2017. What two schools that have played each other at least 20 times ARE meeting for the first time in over 30 years this weekend?
8. There are two games this week that feature teams that share a head coach in their history (e.g. USC/Washington, Steve Sarkisian). In neither case is the coach active. Which one involves a coach who failed to live up to expectations at the second school?
9. Which one involves a coach who is the winningest coach in the second school's history?
10. RIDICULOUS NON-FOOTBALL QUESTION: There's a matchup between teams this weekend that have combined for ONE Final Four appearance combined. However, that team produced a future NBA Finals MVP. Identify this matchup.

LAST WEEK

Thank you, Iowa State and Kansas State (and Stanford and Hawaii) for that mostly fun appetizer. UC-Davis (and Mercer, too, to a lesser extent), I'm sorry you traveled all that way for a neutral site game only to have it declared a no contest. But I'm sure you can easily afford to eat such expenses, budget-wise, right?

Anyway, on to Week 1

THURSDAY

Boise State @ South Florida: Fun fact: neither team has ever been ranked #1, but BOTH teams have been ranked #2. Have fun diving into the glorious mess of the 2007 season if you so desire.

Ohio @ Rutgers: Ohio is your defending MAC champ fresh off an 11-3 season. Maybe this will be worth watching? I mean, it's pretty much all you've got, B1G-wise, for two hours so it's this or Boise/USF.

Buffalo @ Minnesota: Remember in 2019 when Minnesota went 11-2 and trailed EACH of their non-conference opponents (South Dakota State, Fresno State, Georgia Southern) in the fourth quarter? Nobody knows nothing, especially when you're breaking in a new QB. Maybe this will be worth watching?

Nebraska vs. Cincinnati: I can't blame Cincy for taking the payday and playing this in Kansas City. Worth noting that Vegas only likes Nebraska by 6.5. Maybe they're not fully back. Many have been hurt by prematurely declaring Nebraska to be back, but screw it, this feels like a Raiola coming-out party. Huskers big.

Miami (OH) @ Wisconsin: Miami is picked second in the MAC. Wisconsin is breaking in a new OC, has already suffered multiple losses on the OL, and the DC likely only has a job because he and the HC go back a ways. Not sure how Vegas makes the Badgers nearly as big of a favorite as Minnesota (who has fewer questions about a better returning team and faces worse opposition...but maybe they remember 2019, too).

FRIDAY

Western Michigan Michigan State: The B1G/MAC challenge continues. But WMU isn't on the level of Ohio/Buffalo/Miami (picked 2-4 behind Toledo). This is probably a good thing for Jonathan Smith. The "unofficial" preseason poll had Sparty tied with Rutgers at 13. But last year 9th-15th were all 4-5 or 3-6. Can you find four conference wins, Sparty?

Western Illinois @ Illinois: There is absolutely nothing to be learned from this game. I don't blame Illinois for scheduling it. Just don't expect me to say much about it.

Auburn @ Baylor: Has Auburn ever done anything as bad as what Art Briles let happen on his watch? I mean, that we know of? Still, historically, Auburn is more of an 80's SWC school than Baylor ever was. Do your soul a favor and instead watch...

Georgia Tech @ Colorado: Finally, the 1990 NCAA title will be settled on the field (it should've been GT). Probably not gonna happen, but if the Yellowjackets can beat Clemson at home on 9/13, they could make a run. The less said about Colorado, the better. But this should be a good game.

[UNLV @ Sam Houston State: Noted only for those of you joining me in hate-watching Phil Longo, cheering for his ruin.]

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Texas @ Ohio State: By all means, watch. But it means less than it used to. Either team can still lose one more game and be guaranteed a CFP bid. So let me rant for a bit about something only marginally related:

Few college coaches annoy me more than Mack Brown. (In college hoops, it was Roy Williams, for similar reasons.) The good ol' boy schtick, for one, and unrelenting politicking for another. He ranted and raved that Texas should get a BCS bowl over Cal in 2004...and it worked! They jumped Cal in the last BCS poll. Now Texas/Michigan turned out to be a fabulous Rose Bowl. But I still would've loved to have seen Cal (with Aaron Rodgers) vs. Michigan in a Pac-10/B1G showdown.

Even worse, is hearing him prattle on about the 2005 champion team. He KNEW all along they'd beat USC. Yeah, fine, whatever. But Brown pretending Texas was some sort of invincible juggernaut just because Oklahoma had a down year so the Big 12 was dog shit is rich. Texas had to use everything they had to beat Ohio State in 2005. And, frankly, if Troy Smith hadn't been suspended for the 2005 opener, then Justin Zwick probably doesn't get any snaps vs. Texas, and the Buckeyes likely win.

Of course, that could've meant a PSU/USC national title game since PSU beat OSU who would've beaten Texas, and USC would have annihilated PSU, so maybe it was all for the best. Still, Mack Brown is about as sore of a winner as you can imagine.

Florida Atlantic @ Maryland: September Maryland. And Lane Kiffin isn't walking through that door for FAU. Let's move on.

Ball State @ Purdue: You have to hand it to those engineering nerds. If you're coming off a historically bad season, don't just schedule a MAC team. Schedule a REALLY BAD MAC team.

Northwestern @ Tulane: I think the boss man (one of them) has already done everything he could to reverse jinx this game and declare a Tulane blowout. And, yeah, they're American favorites. Might be a long season for Northwestern, even with Duke off the schedule. Jeez, no Duke, but Tulane is good. Vandy is decent. If you want a private school smackdown, Wildcats, you should've gone with Rice.

Old Dominion @ Indiana: Can't argue with what Indiana did last year. Is this just a thank you from Coach Cig that goes back to the James Madison days?

Nevada @ Penn State: Philosophical aside: When you think about how good of a coach somebody is, what goes into your calculation? Do you care about Nick Saban's years with the Dolphins? Is recruiting external because you're focused on x's and 0's, or is recruiting essential as it's the lifeblood of college football? If the latter, has the portal affected how you think about this stuff?

Lots of other factors to consider, too, but let's cut to the quick. Who is/was the better coach: James Franklin or Chris Ault?

Montana State @ Oregon: fun with logic: Oregon only led Idaho 17-14 at one point in the 4th last year. Montana State beat Idaho twice by a combined 64 points last year. Both Montana State and Oregon are breaking in new QBs. Montana State is going to beat Oregon.

SATURDAY EVENING

Albany @ Iowa: Albany? Really? I mean, Ferentz coached Maine way back when, and they're in the same conference as Albany. But, really?

LSU @ Clemson: Yeah, don't watch if you don't want to. But are you really going to reward cheating and watch Michigan? Either Brian Kelly or Dabo Swinney is going to take a L. Isn't it worth checking in at least occasionally for the sideline shots? And no, I don't care which one plays at the "true" Death Valley.

New Mexico @ Michigan: Michigan fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Sherrone Moore is NOT suspended for this game. Whew...

Missouri State @ USC: Welcome to FBS Mizzou State. Screw you for leaving MVC hoops, though. Why can't they play Iowa, Albany play PSU, and Nevada play USC. Does that just make too much sense?

Utah @ UCLA: Holy shit! A live matchup! Has Kyle Whittingham lost his fastball? Or was last year just a QB disaster unlikely to repeat? Was UCLA's 4-2 finish a mirage? Pretty damn interesting game. Pace yourself during the day, folks. (IT IS A MARATHON @mnw!)

Colorado State @ Washington: You'll probably be watching Utah/UCLA, but check the score at least. We all think Jedd Fisch is a reasonably good coach (right?). And Washington is a place where you can win. But it's also a fickle program. Steven Sarkisian never topped eight wins, for example. Washington should be fine. Should. Then again, Colorado State went 6-1 in the MWC last year and has their QB returning...

SUNDAY

Virginia Tech @ South Carolina: The easy move here is to mention that the South Carolina coach's dad coached Virginia Tech to much success. The right move is to note that the last time we thought about the South Carolina coach, Bret Bielema was turning him into a puddle of outrage, and to wonder if this coach is constitutionally capable of managing a season of high expectations. Quite possibly not. But he does have LaNorris Sellers and Brent Pry isn't exactly lighting it up on the other sideline.

Notre Dame @ Miami (Fla.): Look, I know most of you aren't old enough to remember the 80's. And that's fine. I don't want to overdo the remembrances of this rivalry. But, what's your preference? Seeing Notre Dame embarrassed? See 1985 (58-7 Miami). Seeing the cocky alpha dog get their comeuppance? See 1988 (31-30 Notre Dame). Seeing a conversion on 3rd and 43? See 1989 (27-10 Miami). Seeing perhaps the most dangerous return man in CFB history prove it against the most athletic team in the nation? See 1990 (29-20 Notre Dame).

MONDAY

TCU @ North Carolina: If Brent Musburger were still calling games, imagine how many awkward comments he'd be good for in this one?