College Football Corner: Tee It Up

That shameful off-season regiment -- checking college football blogs every 7.5 minutes, trawling for rumors about the summer habits of 18-to-22 year-olds, yawning the days away watching baseball -- has finally given way to the first official game week, tonight no less.

But optimism, while nourishing during the slow spring and summer months, can sustain you only till the season kickoff. Breathe it in now folks, because with an 0-0 record, these are the last moments when every team in the country can lay statistical claim to being just as good as any other.

It's also the first week we'll get to see those much-hyped freshman recruits in actual game action (paging

USC's

Matt Barkley). We'll see the official Heisman Trophy campaign rollouts. In Tim Tebow's case, this week marks the beginning of his 2032 U.S. presidential bid.

(Thursday night we have a handful of games, among the more noteworthy:

South Carolina

at

North Carolina State

at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN,

Utah State

at No. 19

Utah

at 9 p.m., and No. 16

Oregon

at No. 14

Boise State

at 10:15 p.m. on ESPN.)

So, rather than spend any time discussing the bevy of no-contest Week 1 matchups, (I'm looking at you

Northern Iowa

at No. 22

Iowa

,

San Jose State

at No. 4 USC,

Jacksonville State

at No. 15

Georgia Tech

... oh, and my favorite,

Charleston Southern

at No. 1

Florida

), let's just turn our gaze to the biggest games:

No. 16 Oregon at No. 14 Boise State, Thursday, 10:15 p.m. EDT, ESPN

Oregon brings its confusing triple-option and even more confusing color scheme to the Smurf Turf of No. 14 Boise State. Combine the yellow-green Nike haberdashery of Oregon with the Broncos' own garish uniforms, all of it cast against the antifreeze-blue of the Boise field, and you have enough to see two fields. Viewers, beware.

The game has the makings of a relatively high-scoring contest, if not a total shootout. Las Vegas understands, and has moved the over/under to 64 points.

Former offensive-coordinator Chip Kelly, considered by many a true guru, has taken over as Oregon head coach and hopes to continue the prowess demonstrated by the Ducks last season, when they scored almost 42 points a game, good for seventh-best in the country. Oregon, along with bruising quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, will also look to avenge last year's crushing 37-32 defeat to Boise State in Eugene. There's bad blood here; Masoli was knocked out of the game last year on a late hit.

The Broncos, favored (as usual) to win the WAC title this season, bring back 12 starters, split evenly between offense and defense. Sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore, who threw for nearly 3,500 yards last year, will be difficult to stop, especially for a rebuilt Oregon defense that ranked 82nd in total defense 2008.

On the other side, the Broncos return only one starter to the DL; the Ducks' stable of backs will surely attempt to gash Boise State at this weak spot, though Oregon's offensive line is also inexperienced.

In the end, when attempting to forecast this one, who can ignore history? Boise State hasn't lost when playing atop the blue stuff since 2005, against Boston College in the Humanitarian Bowl.

Corner's Choice: Boise State 35, Oregon 31

No. 13 Georgia at No. 9 Oklahoma State, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC

:

While most of the top 25 will match up against the frothy outskirts of the Football Bowl Subdivision landscape (

Louisiana-Monroe

at

Texas

, really!), these two decided to kick it up a notch against each other.

And we're all the better for it.

There's nothing like watching two teams in search of the same evasive goal: early-season validation.

For the Bulldogs, the game offers a chance to rewrite last year's underwhelming output. Georgia started last season as everyone's preseason darling. The natives had visions of Uga VII laying his weary English bulldog face on the field at the BCS championship.

But reality had other plans. By midseason, Georgia slipped and ceded the bright lights of the SEC to the likes of Florida and

Alabama

.

You wouldn't know it, but the group still finished with a 10-3 record and a Capital One Bowl win. Nice showing for a mortal team, but not in Athens.

So with a chunk of starters gone from that squad, questions are swirling. Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford was taken with the first pick in the NFL draft, while All-everything tailback Knowshon Moreno went 11 picks later to the Denver Broncos.

In their sted, Coach Mark Richt is turning to senior Joe Cox -- a former prep All-American himself -- behind center, and sophomore Richard Samuel at running back to somehow replicate the 426 yards of offense per game.

Though Georgia has a 3-0 series lead on Oklahoma State, the Cowboys' story is less about redemption and more about finally living up to expectations. For the first time, the boys from Stillwater are a pre-season

AP

top-10. Kudos should go to Coach Mike Gundy and crew for that feat alone.

But millions of T. Boone Pickens commodity-drenched dollars and years of near upsets have finally given Cowboy fans that worst of things: hope.

That is, they now have rabid, unadulterated hope for a championship, any championship. Good thing many agree that this year may be their best shot, as they're led by the trio of Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant.

On Monday, the Cowboys lost starting middle linebacker Orie Lemon and his 90 tackles from last season (along with 54 solos and eight pass break-ups) because of a reported ACL tear that may keep him out for the rest of the season.

Oklahoma State fans got another punch to the gut earlier this week when starting tight-end Jamal Mosley left the team for personal reasons.

So, the game is ultimately going to turn on one thing -- Georgia's defense. Sure, the unit returns a handful of starters. But returning anyone from last year's group that gave up 24.5 points per and a dubious team-record 319 points in 13 games may not be the best of plans.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are returning a 3,000-yard passer in Robinson and a 500-plus yard rusher ... in Robinson. Add Hunter to the mix; he averaged a first down for every two carries on his own last year.

Then there's Bryant. A match-up nightmare and the Cowboys' best weapon, he still remembers the 35-14 thumping the Bulldogs gave the then-unranked Cowboys two years ago when Bryant caught his first collegiate pass. Though that was ages ago, during which time he's filled his trophy case with every major All-American award.

For Georgia, the defensive playbook is simple. Stop those three and you win. On offense, returning all five offensive linemen along with a seasoned, if underplayed quarterback, should keep things interesting. But Georgia's D doesn't play the spread in the SEC, and few were able to stop Oklahoma State's version of it last year.

Well, at least Bulldogs can hope.

Corner's choice: Oklahoma State 42, Georgia 24

Illinois vs. Missouri in St. Louis, 3:40 p.m. EDT Saturday, ESPN

: The teams played a wild one last year, with Missouri prevailing, 52-42. But the Illini should have the edge this time around, mainly because of a veteran offense led by quarterback Juice Williams and receiver Arrelious Benn. Illinois Coach Ron Zook hasn't decided on a starting running back, but he has five to choose from. Missouri is coping with the loss of quarterback Chase Daniel and receiver Jeremy Maclin to the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. The Tigers will rely heavily on quarterback Blaine Gabbert, a 6-5, 240-pound sophomore, who arrived in Columbia much heralded.

Corner's Choice: Illinois, 28-17

-- William Hennelly

No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech in Atlanta, Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT, ABC

Opening games are always angst-ridden affairs for the fans of highly ranked college squads -- unless the home team is teeing off against a cream-puff, that is. For Tide and Hokie enthusiasts, then, Saturday night's marquee contest between No. 5

Alabama

and No. 7

Virginia Tech

ought to produce plenty of agitation.

Lucky for them, Alabama fans received some late-breaking (and, from their perspective, joyous) news Thursday when the NCAA cleared superstar wide-out Julio Jones and starting running back Mark Ingram to play in the opener after the pair broke collegiate rules when they went on an all-expenses Gulf Coast fishing trip with an Alabama booster over the summer.

To suit up successfully, Jones and Ingram must pay back the cost of the excursion, and -- to take the pressure off the Tide's first-time starter at quarterback, Greg McElroy -- make plenty of big plays against a Tech defense that returns eight starters, including the speedy all-ACC end Jason Worilds.

On the other side of the ball, Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor will need to live up to the hype (the Hokies' highest-ever ranking in the preseason rests largely on Taylor's Vickesque promise) against what is likely to be one of the staunchest defensive outfits in the land this season. Massive Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody (6-5, 365 pounds) leads a side that allowed a little more than 14 points a game in 2008, seventh-best in the country.

So, with many things being equal, the X-factors are Alabama's offensive skill position ranks. Can McElroy overcome jitters and inexperience and get the ball to Jones? McElroy's prep years slinging the rock for Texas Southlake Carroll's high-octane, quick-read spread offense will come in handy.

Corner's Choice: Alabama 20, Virginia Tech 17

-- Scott Eden

Cincinnati at Rutgers, 4 p.m. EDT Monday, ESPN

: This has turned into something of a pivotal Big East tussle annually, with the Bearcats prevailing the last three years. Rutgers is entertaining hopes of its first Big East championship, while Cincinnati is somewhat rebuilding, although it still has quarterback Tony Pike and receiver Mardy Gilyard. The Scarlet Knights will showcase their expanded stadium and return a big, veteran offensive line led by tackle Anthony Davis. They also have a solid linebacking corps led by Ryan D'Imperio in the middle. One key factor could be the play of the Rutgers quarterback, whoever he is. Coach Greg Schiano may use as many as three -- fifth-year senior Dom Natale, Jabu Lovelace and true freshman Tom Savage. Still, Piscataway is a tough place to play for visitors, and with the stadium now enclosed, Rutgers' 12th man will be vocal.

Corner's Choice: Rutgers 27-14

-- William Hennelly