Yes, that's red artificial turf, put down for Eastern Washington's home opener.

For all that's holy - what in THE HELL is going on here?

Hadn't EWU done enough to us, educating that buffoon Colin Cowherd? Now this atrocity.

This does, however, give my life a singular purpose - to win the lottery and buy every artficial turf compnay in the country. And you know what? I'm going to sell GREEN turf. That's it. You want blue? You're getting GREEN. You want red? You're getting GREEN, jackhole. If it cant' be grass it might as well be f'ing GREEN.

I blame Boise State. That school is really rising up my sh*t list. Watch yourself, Broncos.

I haven't written anything on the topic of the week, the possible move of the Ohio State - Michigan game, because I truly don't know what to say. (Although I managed a few choice words in our podcast from earlier this week.)

It's also frustrating because it seems, as with most Big 10 decisions, this thing is three-quarters done before the powers that be decide the paying public gets to know what's going to happen. Most of the time I sense Jim Delaney just wants to come down from the mount with his new rules on stone tablets and we're all supposed to bow down and thank him.

See? I'm already off track because this whole thing is so infuritating.

Yesterday, Delaney spoke with ESPN Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg and offered up a series of lame analogies to Duke - North Carolina basketball (basketball?!?! do apples taste like oranges in your world, Jim?) and explaining how much Ohio State and Michigan would mean meeting a second time in a Big Ten championship game.

This smells completely bogus. Today, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith offered up a vague video on the web site speaking of "sensitive issues that cannot be revealed" which sounds a lot like our government's "we know better than you because we know things but can't tell you" explanation for -- well, doing just about anything.

I've sat around and gone through just about all the long-term scenarios I can -- Notre Dame eventually joining the Big Ten; super conferences; a football playoff; etc. -- and I can't think of a single reason that justifies moving this game.

Most people who are up in arms speak of tradition, which is no doubt important. I've heard many others claim that moving the game to October would be no big deal -- after all it works for Texas-Oklahoma. Yet Auburn-Alabama remain in the same division, the week before the SEC title game and it seems to get along just fine. There just isn't really justification for moving this game. I've never heard an argument that made a single lick of sense in this whole debate.

But, I'll add in marketing speak, moving this game diminishes it and any change that diminishes this game hurts the Big Ten "brand."

That's my head talking.

My heart is slightly less rational. That Big Ten Championship game? Who gives a crap?

Beat Blue!

Hopefully at the end of November.

Back with something new on Vanderbilt football. This isn't a program discussed very much around EyeAndEer, but the Commodores piqued our interest earlier with their outstanding 2010 football posters. Now the creative folks are at it again. This short video with folksy comments from new coach Robbie Caldwell prove to be pretty effective.

How good will Vandy be in 2010? It's not looking too great. But Caldwell and this team are someone you can get behind and root for.

 

(HT: Her Loyal Sons)

We may not have a vote, but a lot of our partners at Bloguin.com are voters so here is the first Blogpoll of the season.

A few interesting tidbits:

Ohio State is ranked second, so Phil ... eh, he still doesn't care. It's a damn preseason poll. It ain't worth crap.

WVU is ranked 26th, so I'm ... hell, it's a worthless preseason poll.

Did I mention we don't have a vote? Now that's crap.

 

One of my favorite football quotes of all time is "Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships."

Ask Nick Saban what was the key to Alabama winning the 2009 BCS Championship and I'm pretty sure he'll focus on the play of his defense.

There are some outstanding defensive units this season. It most likely starts with North Carolina's experienced and talented group. But there's also Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas.

It's hard to put Alabama on that list yet, but don't be shocked when the Tide turns out another outstanding defense. But what makes the units so good are the freaks of nature that play defense.

Who are those special talents in 2010? Here's a look at the 25 best.

25. Jerrell Powe, Defensive Line, Mississippi

Powe is large (6'2", 315) and in charge on the Ole Miss defensive line. However, he has slimmed down a great deal since he arrived on campus at nearly 400 pounds. The powerful Powe led the Rebels with 12 tackles for a loss and had three sacks last season as he proved to be one of the SEC's best interior lineman.

Recent reports say he's in the best shape of his career. He's a contender for the Outland, Lombardi and Nagurski awards, and he's considered one of the top senior defensive tackles in the country.

Powe's journey to Ole Miss is well documented after he failed to qualify, but finally arrived as a 20-year-old freshman.

 

WARNING: Before you listen to this podcast, please note that Phil is extremely pissed and his distaste for Big Ten commission Jim Delany and the ADs at Michigan and Ohio State comes shining through.

Can you freakin' believe there are discussions about moving the date of the OSU-Michigan game? Does anyone cherish traditions any more? Of course, BYU doesn't. How dare those Mormons tear apart the WAC by leaving the Mountain West Conference? OK, that's a little over the top, but hey, when you're on a roll you go with it.

Those are just two of the things we cover in this week's podcast (that's right, we're back to weekly shows now). We also cover preseason thoughts and feelings about the 2010 prospects for Ohio State and West Virginia, as well as look at Steve Spurrier and his QB decision, Bobby Bowden who is still fired, and the first AP Poll of the season.

I'm always looking for interesting and informative analysis on West Virginia and the Big East. Over at a newer site, TheSignalCaller.com, is former WVU and Glenville State quarterback Jed Drenning. He had a great career with the Pioneers and has spent some time coaching. He provides solid information on the upcoming Big East season, and his site is worth keeping an eye on if you are a Mountaineer fan.

For those of you who don't know Drenning, he's a big proponent of the spread offense and he's a big fan of Rich Rodriguez and Jimbo Fisher.

Following a quick evaluation of the Associated Press' Top 25, which was announced today, there don't appear to be any real surprises.

Alabama's on top, followed by Ohio State, Boise State, Florida and Texas. Boise has earned its way into a Top 5 ranking, so it's not a shock. But what would shock many college football folks is if a team from the back of the pack worked its way up and reached the BCS Championship Game in January.

Teams outside of the Top 10 have a tough road to reach the title game as many things need to break their way. But if everything aligns just right, here are five teams that could be playing in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10.

No. 22 Auburn

Since an SEC team has won the last four championship games it seems like a good bet to start with a longshot from that conference. The Tigers may be another year or two away from serious championship consideration, but they have the talent to ask "What if?"

The biggest "What if?" is new QB Cam Newton. The former Florida Gator was impressive last spring and he's a dual-threat who could be a nightmare for defenses. Don't forget that Newton would probably be the starter in Gainesville right now if not for his off-the-field issues and he probably has the second strongest arm in the conference behind Arkansas' Ryan Mallett.

Auburn has moved Mario Fannin back to running back, but he's had trouble holding onto the ball in the past. Fannin can still be a major threat and should take pressure off of Newton.

There is a lot of experience on The Plains and Gene Chizik and his staff have done a great job recruiting. The Tigers had some ups and downs last year, but that close loss to Alabama was a confidence boost and this team believes it can beat anyone.

No. 17 Arkansas

The Razorbacks have been a Cinderella pick for a lot of prognosticators and bloggers, and for good reason.

Arkansas may just have the best player in the country in QB Ryan Mallett. The huge, strong-armed Mallett will likely surpass his gaudy numbers of 2009, which included 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns. Mallett is fortunate to have three big-time receivers (Greg Childs, Joe Adams and Jarius Wright) at his disposal.

But the SEC is a defensive conference and Arkansas will lean heavily on a unit that returns seven players. DE Jake Bequette leads a strong line, but the defense needs to cut down on the big plays it allowed last season.

The Razorbacks will find out early if they are legitimate contenders, though. After two easy games to begin the season, Arkansas travels to Georgia and then hosts defending champs Alabama. If they lose just one, Arkansas could survive. But if the Hogs open 0-2 in the SEC and it will be a huge disappointment.

No. 15 Pittsburgh

Dave Wannstedt's team? A Big East team? Really, Pitt?

It may be a long shot, but the Panthers are loaded with size, speed and athleticism. Pitt has been so close to winning the Big East the past two years, but the Panthers have folded down the stretch. That won't happen this year.

It starts with RB Dion Lewis, who rushed for almost 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns last season as he earned the conference's Offensive Player of the Year honor. Pitt also has one of the nation's best receivers in Jonathan Baldwin.

Pitt's downfall will come on either or both the offensive and defensive lines. There is talent their, but both units are inexperienced. The best player on either side is DE Greg Romeus, who is a big-time NFL prospect.

The schedule doesn't help much either. The Panthers open the season at Utah on Sept. 2, host No. 13 Miami on Sept. 23 and travel to Notre Dame on Oct. 9. The biggest challenges from within the Big East will be at Connecticut (Nov. 11), vs. West Virginia (Nov. 26) and at Cincinnati (Dec. 4).

Pitt is probably the biggest stretch, but if it navigates the schedule and is sitting at 12-0 on Dec. 5 it may be hard to keep them out of the title game.

No. 12 Wisconsin

Before the Badgers can be considered serious contenders they must figure out a way to beat Ohio State. Wisconsin gets the Buckeyes at Camp Randall in mid-October and both teams could be undefeated (do I hear Kirk Herbstreit and Gameday in Madison?).

So how does Wisconsin pull this off? It starts on offense where Bret Bielema will continue to play a balanced, ball-control approach that helped the Badgers go 10-3 last season. Wisconsin dropped its biggest challenges of 2009 until it took down a ranked Miami Hurricanes squad in the Champ Sports Bowl. What Wisconsin needs is some of that confidence and swagger to carry over to 2010.

The Badgers will rely heavily on RB John Clay, who was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. But he's not alone. QB Scott Tolzien gained outstanding experience last year and he has a stable of receivers to throw to--most notably Nick Toon, the son of former NFL receiver Al Toon.

Wisconsin will need to stay healthy and the defensive line, which is young, will need to step up big if the Badgers are going to win their first Big Ten crown since 1999. But the schedule is manageable, especially with Ohio State at home and not having to play Penn State. The two tough road games will be at Michigan State on Oct. 2 and at Iowa on Oct. 23.

If the Badgers reach the championship game it shouldn't be a huge surprise, but many around the nation will dread having a Big Ten team in this game.

No. 11 Oregon

If QB Jeremiah Masoli had not gone through a complete meltdown during the offseason and forced Chip Kelly to boot him from the team, the Ducks would be a Top 5 team.

Instead, Masoli has since transferred to Ole Miss and the Ducks are trying to settle the quarterback battle between senior Nate Costa and sophomore Darron Thomas. Once Kelly makes a decision it's important for the quarterback to get settled in and work with the talent that is in place. The early season schedule provides some cushion for the new quarterback as well. Oregon should be 4-0 after playing New Mexico, at Tennessee, Portland State and at Arizona State.

The confidence should kick in for Costa or Thomas, and it doesn't hurt that one of them (or both) will be handing off to Heisman candidate LaMichael James. The entire offensive line and receiving corps also returns for Oregon, which means the Ducks could have one of the nation's most explosive units.

Don't overlook the defense either. Oregon is extremely athletic on this side of the ball and is considered the fastest in the Pac-10. The unit is led by senior DE Kenny Rowe and LBs Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger.

There's a lot of talent in Eugene and if Kelly can get consistent play from his quarterback, Oregon should win the Pac-10 and could make the leap from No. 11 into the title game.

 

In an idea cribbed straight from the other half of this blog - the 'Eer - I thought I'd take a quick tour through Ohio State's 2010 opponents. While the Buckeyes' schedule isn't the toughest they've ever faced, there are some big challenges coming up in 2010, especially on the road.

12. vs. Eastern Michigan (Sept. 25)

I can't believe i'm going to shell out $70 for this nightmare. EMU may not be the worst team in college football, but they're real, real close. Next time you complain about your big, favorite D. I squad playing a Non-Bowl Subdivision squad, remember this - they could be playing Eastern Michigan.

All-time record: 0-0-0

11. vs. Indiana (Oct. 9)

The Hoosiers are typically a scrappy bunch under Bill Lynch, but this team doesn't appear to have much in the tank and seem headed for the bottom of the Big 10. IU typically doesn't fare well in Ohio Stadium.

All-time record: OSU 66-12-5

10. vs. Marshall (Sept. 2)

In 2004 the Thundering Herd came to Ohio Stadium and were a last-second Mike Nugent field goal from at least sending the game to overtime. That Herd team was pretty good and this squad under first-year coach Doc Holliday should be solid, returning lots of starters from last year's 7-6 team.

But that Ohio State 2004 team was a trainwreck at the start of the year and this group isn't.

All-time record: 1-0-0

9. vs. Ohio University (Sept. 18)

Ah, the Bobcats. A few people know my disdain for the plucky little school located in the heart of Appalachian Ohio, mostly because of their chip-on-the-shoulder alumni. Anyway, OU will keep it close for a half because this is their Super Bowl. The Bucks will end their dreams of upset in the third quarter and the OU fans will get really, really drunk.

All-time record: OSU 6-0-0

8. vs. Purdue (Oct. 23)

The Boilermakers are improving under Danny Hope and bring new quarterback Robert Marve and a solid receiver in Keith Smith to Columbus. But after last year's debaucle, this is a game Ohio State's been looking forward to.

All-time record: OSU 37-13-2

7. at Illinois (Oct. 2)

The Zooker has taken Illini to the highest highs - and now - the lowest lows. Even if Memorial Stadium has been a tough place for the Buckeyes historically, it's hard to imagine this year's group of Illini giving much of a fight.

All-time record: OSU 62-30-4

6. at Minnesota (Oct. 30)

Tim Brewster, the Zooker of Minneapolis, will be fighting for his job one year after the Gophers opened TCF Stadium. Mostly because a beautiful new facility shouldn't have empty seats. Considering UM isn't going to win the league, only an upset of a power like OSU could help save Brewster. Uh, that'll be tough.

All-time record: OSU 42-7-0

5. vs. Michigan (Nov. 20)

It was difficult to rank the Wolverines as the fifth-toughest game on OSU's schedule, but I'm giving them some historical benefit of the doubt. One just has to assume the Buckeyes will get UM's best effort, just because of how lopsided the series has been in recent years. RichRod will be fighting for his job. A win here could save it.

All-time record: Michigan 57-43-6

4. vs. Penn State (Nov. 13)

This seems like it should be a good game, but the Nits have rarely put up a fight in Columbus. Quarterback questions could hamper a strong rushing attack led by Evan Royster.

All-time record: Ohio State 13-12-0

3. vs. Miami, Fla. (Sept. 11)

The highlight game of the Big Ten's non-conference season (sorry, Penn State-'Bama) this is an interesting game with lots of historical subplots. From the 2002 national title game loss which sent Miami, Fla. into a Larry Coker-induced tailspin, to all the South Florida players on the Buckeye roster, these two teams will be plenty excited. The Canes are looking for a big non-conference win. But Miami's poor performance against Wisconsin last year makes me skeptical they'll be the biggest challenge on Ohio State's schedule.

All-time record: 2-1-0

2. at Iowa (Nov. 20)

Iowa is loaded again this year and last year's game was a nailbiter in Ohio Stadium. Ricky Stanzi and a stout defensive line will make the Hawkeyes a difficult challenge. Plus, Kinnick Stadium is one of the toughest places in the league to play. But Kirk Ferentz hasn't had a ton of success against Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes.

All-time record: OSU 45-14-3

1. at Wisconsin (Oct. 16)

While I think Iowa might be a better team than Wisconsin, the combination of a liquored up Camp Randall, the bruising running of John Clay and a talented Wisky offensive line will make this Ohio State's biggest challenge of 2010. Last year, the Badgers outgained and pretty much outplayed Ohio State in Columbus, but were undone by turnovers. Plus I still have nightmares of all those games Earle Bruce dropped in the early 80s against truly poor Badger teams.

All-time record: OSU 53-17-5

One day, Marshall will finally get it. But thanks to West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (a WVU grad no less) the Thundering Herd football program and the 38 or so fans think WVU should schedule a home-and-home for eternity.

While the Mountaineers have dominated the series--winning all nine meetings--Marshall claims West Virginia is ducking the Herd. In reality, playing Marshall every year damages the Mountaineers non-conference schedule rating.

The diatribe has begun again. Marshall AD Mike Hambrick is already pressuring new Mountaineer AD Oliver Luck about extending the current deal past 2012. Fortunately for WVU Luck is a smart guy and he's not about to cave to Hambrick's demands (plus most WVU fans would never forgive him).

I personally don't mind playing Marshall every year. It's nice to know there's a guaranteed victory on the schedule. But the series needs to continue as is: 2-for-1 agreement.