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Watching The Ticker
by Will Stewart, TechSideline.com, 9/8/03
As you sit and wait for my scintillating breakdown of the pivotal Tech/JMU game, here are my thoughts as I watched ESPN's ticker this past Saturday.
I still remember Jack Pardee's Houston Cougars trying to hang 100 points on overmatched SMU a few years back, and coming up short, scoring "only" 95 points. Totally classless, so I love to see Houston get whipped. Yeah, I know, Pardee is long gone, but it's a thing with me.
Boston College 27, Penn State 14
Is it just my imagination, or does PSU lay an egg at home pretty much every year? Okay, I looked it up, and it's actually just my imagination, but the Lions shouldn't be losing at home to BC.
I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Bowling Green, because the very first game of the Beamer Bowl Era -- the opening game of the 1993 season -- was a 33-16 victory over Bowling Green. Nice victory on the road, Falcons, over the #20 team in the country.
Get a load of this -- that point total by Fordham would beat their basketball team on most nights.
Wake Forest 38, North Carolina State 24
See, Rutgers and Temple, it can be done. You can build a winning program at a historically weak football school. By the way, ever see Wake Forest's stadium? It's the spitting image of Lane Stadium, circa late 70's (before Lane's East stands were expanded). It's really cute and nostalgic.
At the 2002 VHSCA All-Star game, Anthony Martinez was impressive, and Marcus Vick didn't do much. In the 2003 college football season, the roles are reversed. Martinez was just 10-of-20 for 54 yards and 2 INT's as 15th-ranked UVa's offense had just 7 first downs and 170 yards. The Hoos dropped like a rock out of both polls.
That's six in a row for the Huskies, fast becoming my second-favorite team. Sure, none of the six victories were over powerhouses, but for UConn, six in a row is six in a row. The Huskies have averaged 46.8 points per game in their winning streak and will give the Hokies their best shot on September 27th. If forced to cover a Hokies/Huskies game, ESPN's Charlie Steiner's brain will lock up.
I always love to see Northwestern lose. Always. I will never forgive them for stealing Cinderella VT's media thunder back in 1995.
I've heard of Butler, but � Tiffin? Tiffin? And look, they hung 42 on Butler.
Syracuse 49, North Carolina 47 (3 OT)
Six years ago, this would have been a classic, hard-fought battle between two good teams. This year, it's a classic, hard-fought battle between two bad teams.
Notre Dame 29, Washington State 26 (OT)
Down 19-0, ND storms back and wins. If they steal the Gator Bowl from a Big East team, at least it'll be the last time they ever steal a bowl from a team in VT's conference.
Man, oh, man, am I glad I don't run AuburnSideline.com.
Michigan State, 44, Rutgers 28
Best thing about leaving the Big East? Not having to root for Rutgers anymore.
No, no, no, I'm sorry -- the best thing about leaving the Big East is not having to root for Temple anymore.
Time and again, Marshall goes on the road against tough teams. Time and again, they're on TV. Time and again, they put up a good fight. Time and again, they lose. I read that UT paid Marshall $500k for the privilege of losing in Knoxville. Zowee.
Not to knock Furman, but the good ship Clemson is taking on water, big time. Too bad, that's a great football school.
Hey, psssst, Temple -- this is how it's done against 1-AA teams. You get the big number, they get the small number.
West Virginia 48, East Carolina 7
Boy, am I glad I don't run PirateSideline.com. What, I already used that joke? Then try this: back in 1991, ECU went 11-1 and won the Peach Bowl. 12 years later, they're coming off a 4-8 season and have opened with two losses by a combined score of 88-10. That's living proof of what a decade of life in a non-BCS conference can do to your program.
Southern Illinois 28, SE Missouri State 7
The Salukis got 20 points and 10 rebounds from Rolan Roberts as they � wrong sport? Sorry.
Not a single 'Bama player from this game was on their team when the Hokies waxed them 38-7 in the 1998 Music City Bowl. Just putting things in perspective there.
Louisiana Tech 34, Louisiana-Lafayette 3
It's a long way to Blacksburg from Lafayette, Louisiana, isn't it, Rickey?
Rats. Thought the Gators had 'em when it was 33-10. The problem is, a win like that can really galvanize the Hurricanes. Rats.
The Aggies haven't exactly blown out Arkansas State (26-11) and Utah to open the season. Don't worry, they'll bring their A-game to Blacksburg in 10 days.
Western Kentucky 67, WV Inst. of Tech 3
Yep, that's West Virginia Tech, folks. Nope, they're not very good. Yep, they're really small (2,500 students).
Louisiana State 59, Arizona 13
Arizona Coach John Mackovic said to the press after the game, "I'm really pleased, because we scored 3 more
points than my Texas team scored against Virginia Tech in the 1995 Sugar Bowl. At this rate, we'll be scoring 20 points
by � (long pause) � 2022."
