College Football Three and Out: Week 1

First and 10: Off-season recap

Some things happened.

Second and 15: Predicting the future!

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Alabama starts 0-1 for the first time in 15 years

USC rolls the Tide: 27 - 24.

B1G Bold Prediction: Eastern Kentucky upsets Purdue in opener

Things haven't gone particularly well for the Boilermakers in recent years.  The Colonels are about as soft an opponent as a Power 5 team could ask for, but I think they give Purdue all they can handle and more.  Things go from bad to worse in West Lafayette, as they fall, 22 - 15.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: BGSU limited to 15 or fewer points

Urban Meyer made his coaching debut with the Falcons 15 seasons ago, beating Missouri 20 - 13.  Mike Jinks won't find the same success on Saturday in his first game as the Bowling Green head coach.  They may have had a top 5 offense the past couple of seasons, but the Falcons sputter in the Shoe on Saturday.  Buckeyes show some rust early but eventually cruise to a 35 - 14 win.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Auburn stuns Clemson

Many are picking Clemson to win it all this year.  But I think they hit a road block at Auburn in week 1.  The home team scores the winning touchdown with 15 seconds left, putting a big dent in Clemson's playoff hopes.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: UC Davis forces Oregon to punt

I actually feel like it's possible that I get this one wrong... either way, Oregon wins, 64 - 15.

Third and 21: The Edge

Two years ago, we chased a title.  We were almost derailed early on.  But we never lost sight of the final goal.  And at the end, when the confetti cleared, we hoisted the trophy.  Last year, we tried to grind our way to a second title.  Maybe it was the pressure to repeat, or the drama of QBGeddon, or we just plain lost focus after winning so many consecutive games, but it didn't happen.  We fought and clawed our way through a schedule that should have been a breeze.  Until we faced a worthy foe in the Spartans, and The Chase: Part 2 came to a grinding halt.  Our championship dreams were ground down to dust, and in the wind and rain that spat in our face, it was swept away.  We took out our frustration by crushing that team up north, but it was too late.  We would have to wait another year to try again at a playoff run.

Now we stand on the edge of the abyss.  Below is the same place that we sat on the night of November 21, 2015, when the football sailed through the uprights to give Michigan State the 17 - 14 win.  It is mediocrity.  The chasm in front of us is the willingness to give in to just being "good enough".  But on the other side sits greatness.  Across the void is elite.  We can see it.  We can almost reach out and touch it.  So now, we jump.  Don't look down.

Fourth Down: Football Season is here.  Air it out.