College football kicks off
Joe Bartlett, Sports Editor
Issue date: 9/10/09 Section: Sports
All the powerhouse programs of Division I NCAA football played their opening games last Saturday, signaling the official start of the college football season.
Only two of the top 25 ranked teams were upset during opening week and no. 18 Florida State was one of them, losing to unranked Mi¬ami Monday night in what broad¬casters are calling an instant classic. The game came down to the very last second as Florida State receiver Jarmon Fortson couldn't hang on to what would've been the game winning touchdown. Even Florida State coach Bobby Bowden admit¬ted the 34-38 loss to Miami was a great game.
""It was a great game, though," Bowden said in a press conference after the game, "I guess it sounds funny to hear a losing coach say that."
For no. 3 Oklahoma, their loss to no. 20 Brigham Young came with even more bad news as last year's Heisman Trophy winner Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford left the game with a shoulder injury. Oklahoma's chances of playing for the national championship look extremely unlikely after the 14-13 loss to no. 20 Brigham Young and the loss of Bradford, who could be out more than 3 weeks, according to ESPN. Bradford's injury was identified as a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, which is his throwing shoulder according to ESPN.com.
The 2008 Heisman winner may have gone down with an injury on Saturday, but the 2007 Heisman winner Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was fine, passing for one touchdown and rushing for one more as the defending national champions no. 1 Florida cruised to a 62-3 victory over Charleston Southern. Second ranked Texas also cruised through their opening game defeating Louisiana-Monroe 59-20.
While many of the top 25 teams won easily last weekend, there were some close calls that teams were just happy to have escaped with a win. No. 7 Virginia Tech headed into the fourth quarter of its game with no. 5 Alabama leading 17-16, but ended up losing 34-24 as Alabama narrowly escaped the first week upset. No. 22 Iowa barely got past unranked Northern Iowa with a 17-16 win and unranked Navy had a chance to tie no. 6 Ohio State with just over two minutes left in the game before Ohio State took their two point attempt the other way to hold on for a nail biting 31-27 win.
Only two of the top 25 ranked teams were upset during opening week and no. 18 Florida State was one of them, losing to unranked Mi¬ami Monday night in what broad¬casters are calling an instant classic. The game came down to the very last second as Florida State receiver Jarmon Fortson couldn't hang on to what would've been the game winning touchdown. Even Florida State coach Bobby Bowden admit¬ted the 34-38 loss to Miami was a great game.
""It was a great game, though," Bowden said in a press conference after the game, "I guess it sounds funny to hear a losing coach say that."
For no. 3 Oklahoma, their loss to no. 20 Brigham Young came with even more bad news as last year's Heisman Trophy winner Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford left the game with a shoulder injury. Oklahoma's chances of playing for the national championship look extremely unlikely after the 14-13 loss to no. 20 Brigham Young and the loss of Bradford, who could be out more than 3 weeks, according to ESPN. Bradford's injury was identified as a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, which is his throwing shoulder according to ESPN.com.
The 2008 Heisman winner may have gone down with an injury on Saturday, but the 2007 Heisman winner Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was fine, passing for one touchdown and rushing for one more as the defending national champions no. 1 Florida cruised to a 62-3 victory over Charleston Southern. Second ranked Texas also cruised through their opening game defeating Louisiana-Monroe 59-20.
While many of the top 25 teams won easily last weekend, there were some close calls that teams were just happy to have escaped with a win. No. 7 Virginia Tech headed into the fourth quarter of its game with no. 5 Alabama leading 17-16, but ended up losing 34-24 as Alabama narrowly escaped the first week upset. No. 22 Iowa barely got past unranked Northern Iowa with a 17-16 win and unranked Navy had a chance to tie no. 6 Ohio State with just over two minutes left in the game before Ohio State took their two point attempt the other way to hold on for a nail biting 31-27 win.