No. 1, but for how long?
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Mark Richt was the quarterbacks coach at Florida State when the Seminoles were the big dogs of college football. Richt might be used to having his team ranked No. 1, but the team he now coaches, Georgia, certainly isn't. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in the preseason for the first time in school history.
Given that Georgia hasn't left the Southeastern Conference for the Atlantic Coast Conference or some other league with more pretenders than contenders for this year's Bowl Championship Series championship game, it seems likely that the Dawgs will get bitten somewhere along the way.
"I think it motivates the guys to prepare well, but the big thing is, if you think about a championship way back in January, that can wear you down," Richt said recently. "It's our responsibility as coaches to help these guys break it down one day at a time, one practice at a time. Just prepare to be in position for the challenge."
Going south in South Bend
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There are mixed signals coming out of Notre Dame these days.
Some say the Fighting Irish have a chance to reverse last season's 3-9 disaster and sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, once thought to be the second-coming of Brady Quinn or Joe Montana, is going to be a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.
Others, maybe the not-so-silent majority if things start deteriorating early, believe Charlie Weis is the second coming of Tyrone Willingham rather than Lou Holtz and a repeat performance is still possible considering the schedule. (Notre Dame's matchup with Willingham's Washington Huskies could be billed as the "Battle of the Exes.")
Clausen has not exactly made a name for himself. He has received more attention for his drinking transgressions, most recently after pictures on the Internet showed Clausen and two teammates at an event called "The Beer Olympics." Clausen doesn't turn 21 until Sept. 21, the day after the Irish play at - and lose to - Michigan State.
Lasting impression
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By losing the past two BCS national championship games, Ohio State can claim something that no other program has done in the 10-year history of the event. Will the Buckeyes go for a threepeat this season in the Orange Bowl? Could be.
Here's another question: Is winning the Big Ten and beating hated Michigan for the seventh time in eight years enough to keep the meddling boosters off Jim Tressel's back?
