Hot Off the Grill - CFB Week 1 Preview

Written by Matt Yoder | 03 September 2010

With the REAL football season upon us, it's time to refire up the RSS grill and preview the weekend's biggest games! If you're new to RSS, our Hot Off The Grill takes a look at the most important games of the weekend in college football on Friday and then the NFL preview takes center stage on Saturday. We'll also tell you which under the radar game to watch, who should be on upset alert, and the one sausage that Randall Simon has his eye on as the player or coach under the most pressure. In the words of Clark Griswold, let's light this candle!

Big Kielbasa's Game of the Week - #3 Boise State vs #10 Virginia Tech
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-I can't remember an opening week game that had this much intrigue and speculation. The Monday night opener in DC features not only the game of the week, but it could be a game of the year candidate. Boise faces their one true elite test of the season and a chance to prove themselves once again to the nation. With this game really the only challenge on the schedule (aside from a meeting w/ #24 Oregon St), Boise could win this game and advance all the way to the national title game they've coveted with their highest Week 1 ranking ever.

However, it won't be easy against Beamerball. Boise QB Kellen Moore isn't the only Heisman candidate in the game - VT RB Ryan Williams rushed for over 1600 yards as a freshman last year! VT's defense was 9th in the nation in points allowed, but they lose 7 starters from a team that won the Peach Bowl... and they have Tyrod Taylor in his 7th season as starting QB. Va Tech probably has the better players and athletes, but it won't be enough. Boise and Chris Petersen have repeatedly proven that they can outprepare whoever they face after a long layoff. Look at his bowl record. There's always a wrinkle with Boise that the opposition doesn't expect. He took down Oklahoma. He took down TCU. He'll take down Va Tech. PICK - BOISE

Beer Brat's Spotlight Game of the Week - #21 LSU vs #18 UNC
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-It's a close call between this game and the JerryWorld Classic between Oregon St and TCU. However, this game has many storylines. LSU head coach Les Miles is under pressure to keep his job this season. Meanwhile, Butch Davis is under a completely different kind of pressure with the North Carolina program blowing up before our own eyes. UNC, in the middle of a program revival, is now unsure of exactly how many players may or may not be involved in an academic scandal. As many as 12 or more players may not make the trip to Atlanta. This investigation comes on the heels of improper benefits being given to two key players. LSU is coming off of a very disappointing 9-4 season with shaky Jr QB Jordan Jefferson still at the helm of the offense. UNC may fight for a while, but I can't expect them getting a win in such a big early season game when they're not even sure who will be able to play. PICK - LSU

Chorizo's Upset of the Week - San Jose St. @ #1 Alab... ok, just kidding... Michigan vs Connecticut
-Ah yes, one of our favorite punching bags in the country - RichRod! Michigan's program has been run through the ringer the last couple seasons between on-field impotence and off-field violations. Now, RichRod doesn't have just one QB starting the season... but maybe 3! RichRod could have 300 QBs at his disposal, but it still wouldn't make a difference. Like Boise's recent history showing their superior preparation ability - Michigan has proven in recent times that they fall short of expectations. UCONN is in with a chance at a Big East title and will simply want it more than a Michigan team that has only played uninspired ball under Rodriguez. PICK - UCONN

Andouille's Under the Radar Game - Illinois vs Missouri
-Mizzou has dominated the football side of the Arch rivalry in the last few years just like Illinois has dominated the basketball side. Missouri has been under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons with starting RB Derrick Washington kicked off the team for assault allegations. That embarrassment came on the heels of being left out in the cold by the Big 10 when expansion talk was at its peak. But, watch Mizzou as an unranked team that can do some damage this year. Gary Pinkel has done a fantastic job building a nationally recognized program. Jr QB Blaine Gabbert, is in his 2nd full season as a starter, looks like the next great Mizzou QB after Brad Smith and Chase Daniel and could be a Heisman darkhorse... and the Big XII schedule is rather favorable. Illinois fans should just be on the lookout for Ron Zook's replacement. PICK - MISSOURI

Hot Dog of the Week - Ricky Dobbs (QB-Navy)
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-Our first Hot Dog of the week, the player we expect to be a star performer in this weekend's games, is the People's Choice for Heisman himself! Ricky Dobbs! Dobbs' 2009 numbers speak for themselves - he rushed and threw for 1,000 yards last season as well as accounting for 32 TDs (26 rush, 6 pass). Navy's triple option is always fun to watch, but this year they have a chance to put together an undefeated season and a shock BCS Bowl berth that harkens back to the days of Roger Staubach. Dobbs is starting to get some Heisman attention, not only from the grassroots level and our friends at Blatant Homerism, but from the national media as well. A Labor Day afternoon game against Maryland on ESPN is the perfect platform for Dobbs to begin his Heisman campaign.

Extra Toppings

-Ohio State. Looked. Good. Sure, it was the first game of the year against Marshall, but Terrelle Pryor looked much more mature running the offense and was more decisive in his reads. He justified his #1 preseason ranking in the Bloguin Heisman Poll.
-Leave it to Wanny to be the guy that gets upset in Week 1. Dion Lewis is one Heisman candidate that took a hit in Week 1 (25 carries, 75 yards).
-Lane Kiffin proves once again he's the biggest @$$hole in college football. Going for 2 after your first 3 TDs against Hawaii? Is he auditioning for the Oakland Raiders job or something?
-Speaking of insane coaching decisions, way to go Kyle Wittingham going from hero to goat with those childish pre-FG timeouts against Pitt. Change the rule on all levels to end this stupidity of making kickers redo FGs because of these "clever" coaches. Luckily, his Utah team won the game where it should be - on the field.
-Boise has the huge game this week, but fellow BCS Buster TCU has a big one too against Oregon State at JerryWorld. The D has lost a lot from last year's team, but Gary Patterson does one thing well - defense. They should be able to slow down Jacquizz Rodgers just enough to win.
-One of the best blogs ever - Awful Announcing is back at Bloguin! Hopefully that means we'll be able to have the Pammies once again. My early favorite... Pam Ward.
-Ryan and I will both be taking part in the Bloguin College Football Pick 'EM Contest as well as hosting the Bloguin Heisman Poll each week. Each week we'll pick 4 toss ups and 3 games against the spread. Here's our picks for Week 1:

Matt: Boise over VT, LSU over UNC, TCU over OrSt, BYU over Wash, ND over Purdue, Neb -38 over Western Ky, Bama -37.5 vs SJ St, Oregon -34 vs New Mexico

Ryan: VT over Boise, LSU over UNC, TCU over OrSt, Wash over BYU, ND over Purdue, Neb -38 over Western Ky, Bama -37.5 vs SJ St, Oregon -34 vs New Mexico

Randall's Got His Eye on You... Brian Kelly
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-Notre Dame begins another era of revitalization and resurrection under Brian Kelly, the former Cincinnati coach. Kelly has a big job to do to reverse all of the bad karma and bad coaching of the Charlie Weis era, but he has succeeded everywhere he's been. The pro style offense of Weis and Jimmy Clausen is gone and the spread will hit South Bend. Yes, we heard the same excitement and jubilation for Ty Willingham, Weis, and heck, even Bob Davie. It might take a few years for Kelly (if he gets that chance), but he could finally be the right guy for the job. One thing's for sure though - he better beat Purdue on Saturday.