SCOTS, FOOTBALL, WATER SKIS

Late Friday night thoughts. BYU just won an ugly game 18-15. The smart kids at Duke and Northwestern are late in the 3rd in a 10-7 thriller. Yikes.

The Utah sun has disappeared until tomorrow. The September night air is cooling but doesn’t quite feel like fall yet. I’m sitting on the side porch and feel like a 9 year old on Christmas Eve. I get this feeling a few times a year, and traditionally, at least 2-3 weekends out of the football season. And tonight, late on this Friday night, with the bats and hoot owls on time for their night shift flying through the backyard trees, I’ve got that feeling.  

Count week 2 of the College football season (aka tomorrow) one of those times. I know I rambled on earlier about not being able to lock into every game and keep up with everything and every player and what not, but, sometimes, in fact all the time, I can change my mind. I’m still going to highlight the three games I mentioned, but I think tomorrow is going to be a day to get the multiple screens going like back in the day. There’s a good chance that tomorrow by 10:03am MST, I’ll be in front of at least 3 screens. Too much is going to happen tomorrow. Too many underdogs are going to keep it close. Too many college superstars are going to show out. Too much to take in to just focus on three games this week. Another weekend like this might not be scheduled so perfectly. The late night ‘Mike Leach Former Teams Tribute Round Robin’ as the nightcap adds to the perfection. Something wild will happen late in either Pullman or the Arizona desert late on Saturday night. It has to. The Pirate would have it no other way.

So, what do I think will happen tomorrow. I feel free to share an opinion, and not be bound to my own tight ship regulations. So what if I said I wouldn’t be making any predictions or picks. I think it’s time to let my opinion known. Basil Hayden has lowered my defenses. En Gard, you Kentucky bastard.

So, the following games I’ve already mentioned:

Texas @ Michigan NOON FOX H

Hogs @ Cowboys NOON ABC A

Pitt @ Cincinatti NOON ESPN2

Troy @ Memphis NOON ESPNU A

Baylor @ Utah 3:30 EST FOX H

Iowa st @ Iowa 3:30 CBS

Cal @ Auburn 3:30 Espn2 A

Tennessee @ North Carolina St 7:30 EST ABC H

Colorado @ Nebraska 7:30 NBC H

Texas Tech @ Washington St 10:00Pm EST FOX

Mississippi St @ Arizona St 10:30 Pm ESPN

Give me every minute of these games, but let’s look at the other games that I flippantly brushed aside when I wasn’t thinking so clearly.

We’ve got to start somewhere. Charlotte is on the road in Chapel Hill. You know what that means. One of my new favorite players, DT Jahvaree Ritzie gets to eat up more QB for lunch. After three explosive sacks at Minnesota last week, I expect him to take the game over at home.

South Carolina is on the road at Kentucky. That game sounds like a snoozefest, but why not check them out. It’s the SEC after all. Doesn’t it ‘mean more?’

MTSU is headed to Ole Miss. Points. And lots of them. Watch out Rebels, Blue Raiders can score. 56-26 seems about right.  

The winless Vandals of Idaho are invading Jonah Field, War Memorial Stadium in Laramie tomorrow, but can the home team defend their turf and rally for their first win? Trutv 3:30est. It’s no easy task to win in Laramie. I’ll take the Cowboys.

This next part is random, I admit, but I found it interesting.

You want to learn about a random team? How about two? Let’s go back to 1788…uh oh.

“In 1773, the settler John Meek was awarded a 400-acre land grant from Virginia above the river bottom and between the Thorn Run and Montour Run valleys, and “Moon Township” was born, although formal, legal recognition would have to wait until 1788” Continuing,

“Moon Township was created in 1788 as one of the original townships of the newly created Allegheny County. In 1789 by an act of the legislature a portion of Washington County south of the Ohio River was transferred to Allegheny County. The transferred area became part of Moon Township. From Wikipedia.

The Moon township, situated 12 miles NE of Pittsburgh, since 1921 has been the home to the Colonials. The Colonials of Robert Morris. Named as the “Financer of the American Revolution” who along with Hamilton and Swiss founding father Albert Gallatin, founded the financial system of the young budding American nation. Now, if you haven’t fallen asleep reading this yet, you’ve stuck around long enough for me to get to the point.

I was scrolling through the games just now, well ten minutes ago, before I started down this weird historical rabbit hole, and I came across this matchup. I had to explore. Moon Township, PA and Joe Walton stadium will be the battleground as the Edinboro Fighting Scots clash with the Colonials of Robert Morris. The name alone gives off a historical ring. Like something from the history books about the time the “Fighting Scots fought on the same field as the Colonials.” Would Robert Morris be proud of this country? Nope. Nope. Not going to answer that. Nice try, Basil.  

Fun fact, Dr. Katherine Robbins is the Athletic Director of Edinboro. Did you know she is a three-time National Water Ski Champion? Pretty bad ass. As far as on-field football goes, I have no idea what’ll happen. If it’s a drinking competition or bare-knuckle fight, I’ll probably go with the Scots. All I know is that Edinboro lost to East Stroudsburg at home inside their daunting Sox Harrison Stadium near Lake Eerie in week 1, and Robert Morris was beaten handily buy none other than the Utah St Aggies who are two hours north of me in Logan…Another random fact, Utah St plays at 11pm EST against USC coming off of their big win over LSU last week in Vegas. Now, somebody has to win this game that I just slogged on about so, Give me the Colonials!

I’ve typed myself tired. I know I learned something, and I hope you did. Finding out Dr. Katherine Robbins, AD for Edinboro University was a Water Ski Champ was my highlight.

Football will be fun tomorrow. What a sport. Edinboro has a team. Who would’ve known?

Let’s go football!

Find the humor and keep on movin’

Whit W.