A Lukewarm Week 2? Are you ******* kidding me!!!!!

All the pundits were saying “Oh, woe is us.” After all the marquee week 1, Top 25 matchups, there was nary a one on the week 2 schedule. Well, Week 2 turned out to be perhaps the most exciting weekend in years. Simply unbelievable!!

Au contraire, there was actually one awesome part of the schedule. Renewal of two rivalry games that should be played each year:

Pitt-Penn State were getting together for the first time since 2000. The 16-year gap was a travesty based on Joe Paterno’s petulance about Pitt not coming aboard a BIG Big East conference idea proposed by Paterno 30+ years ago. The 42-39 game was a fun fest with much more offense than expected. Sorry, Joe. Coupled with the Jerry Sandusky scandal, two big strikes against you. (Trivia Question: There was another game of great magnitude in 2006 with the same 42-39 score. Can you name the teams? Answer at end)

Even agnostics should pray for The Holy War to be played EVERY year. The BYU-Utah game produces an atypical amount of heart-rending, pulsating finishes and this epic proved to be no exception. BYU, facing a 20-13 deficit, produced a dramatic TD drive with only 18 seconds left. The Cougs went for 2 but the stout Utah defense stuffed Taysom Hill for the win.

There was yet a 3rd game which rekindled an old rivalry from the Southwest Conference days ((God, I do miss the Southwest conference. Nothing like The Lone Star State being cool enough, big enough and grand enough to have its conference, with Arkansas invited as the permanent house guest)): Arkansas @ TCU. The last 8 minutes of the game and the 2 overtimes will go down as among the most entertaining segments in college football history. TCU roared back from a double-digit deficit to take a 28-20 lead with 2 minutes to go. Horned Frog QB, Kenny Hill, makes a throat-slashing gesture on the TD play. After the stupid, idiotic, mind-blowing penalty, TCU has to kick off from its own 20. The good field position gives Arkansas more than enough time to score with about 40 seconds to go. The 28-26 scores forces the Hogs to go for 2. It takes a dramatic pass play off a reverse for the Hogs knot the game. Only one problem: Arkansas scored too soon. Having their own brain cramp, Arkansas kicks the ball to one of college football’s best returners, Sophomore KaVantae Turpin. OOPS!! TCU takes over deep in Hog territory only to have their subsequent 28- yard FG kick blocked by 6’10” Dan Skipper, forcing overtime. As excellent as the double OT was, it was anti-climactic after the breath-gasping 4th quarter.

Two games that were thought to be utter blowouts: Nicholls State made a gallant 4th quarter rally against Georgia but fell just short, 26-24. I thought I was dreaming when I watched the replay last night on SEC Network and the commentator said just before the end of the first half.that the Colonels were the better rushing team against a Bulldog team gifted with their typical RB glut.

36-point favorite Clemson found itself to be barely winning in a 13-10 dogfight against Troy early in the 4th quarter. The Tigers were on Troy’s one-yard line. FUMBLE! Troy had an easy path to a 99-yard TD return to put them in the lead. Had the whistle really blown before the fumble? The officials said yes. Clemson scored on the ensuing play and the Troy threat was extinguished.

One FCS team did rule in utterly dramatic fashion. Illinois State is down 7-6 as Sean Slattery attempts a game-winning 33-yard field goal. Just like in Starkville the previous Saturday, the ball doinks off the left goal post. However, this time, God smiles on the Redbirds. The ball ricochets thru the uprights. Maybe it is a good idea that the Big 10 is forbidding any future contracts with FCS teams.

And if you feel asleep early on Saturday night (OK, late for you Eastern folks who cost Christian McCaffrey the Heisman last year), you missed enough offense for 20 games. Really hope you have a DVR in such case. In Tempe, the over/under for the Texas Tech was 80.5. Hell, that total was almost covered at the half! 37-34, baby. ASU’s 68-55 triumph was highlighted by 8 TDs by Kalen Ballange, a record-tying effort. Ballange had only scored 9 TDs in his career before his epic effort. Ballange’s heroics overshadowed 540 passing yards from Tech’s Patrick Mahomes.

In San Diego, the most enthusiastic crowd since the 1992 opener against USC (a riveting 31-31 tie) awaited Saturday night as Cal came to town. The Aztecs, despite some excellent DBs, could not stop Davis Webb and the new contingent of Cal receivers to the tune of 522 passing yards. Thankfully for SDSU, the combination of Donnel Pumphrey and a porous Cal rush defense more than compensated. Pumphrey’s 285 yards rushing helped him to eclipse the career yardage record of all-time Aztec icon, Marshall Faulk.

When SDSU scored with 5 minutes to go, the Aztecs held a 45-34 edge, but it was nearly not enough. Cal scored in the last minute and recovered the onside kick. Only after DeMontae Kazee’s interception at the SDSU 17-yard line could the Aztecs breath and celebrate their 45-40 triumph. Is it remotely possible that SDSU and Boise meet in the Mountain West title game as undefeated teams?? The prospect makes me tingle. Much more possible after the narrow triumphs by SDSU and Boise over Pac 12 schools Saturday night. By the way, one intriguing stat in Wazzu’s 31-28 loss on the blue turf. SIX times WSU entered Boise territory only not to score.

As great as the above games were, this blog has not got around to mentioning the unbelievable hook-and-ladder play by Central Michigan to topple Oklahoma State. Amazing! My view is that the play was so immensely awesome that it should stand, rules be damned. Mike Gundy’s latest response is to require conference referees for all non-conference games in Stillwater. My response to Mr. Gundy: WWAAAAHHHHHH!! You were great enough to man up and admit you made a mistake in the intentional grounding call. I wish you would have left it at that.

A special shout out to LSU’ Tre’Davious White. How many 60-yard punt return TDs require a 121-yard journey? At one point, White was 21 yards BEHOND the point where he caught the pigskin. If you have not seen this fantastic return, fire up youtube.com.

Trivia Answer: #1 Ohio State 42, #2 Michigan 39

WEEK 2 WAS SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE. More please!