UTVols News and Opinions

Welcome to the Friday edition of Coach Scooter’s College Football Diary

The next test for the Vols comes from the Marshall Thundering Herd. The last time these two teams hooked up was 2003 when Tennessee held on for a tough 34-24 victory. This week both teams are coming of a loss as Marshall was beaten by Kansas State 23-7 while the Vols came up one point shy in a loss to Florida 21-20. More on that game later in the Friday edition of the Diary.

Let’s look at the top games of the week:

Big Ten

#24 Penn State at #1 Ohio State
ABC 3:30 Brad Nessler/Bob Griese/Paul McGuire

Penn State has failed to win in Columbus since they joined the Big Ten and with the roll Ohio State is on, that might be extended another year. Another streak that might be extended is me shooting out my TV when the walking Fathead, Paul McGuire, opens his pie hole to enlighten us with his expertise on the game of football.

Maybe it’s those all-white road unis that confuse Joe Pa’s boys when they step into the Horseshoe? As far as I know, the Lions could run out of the tunnel with painted faces, wearing kilts and wielding swords like in Braveheart and they still could not beat the Bucks in Columbus. Ohio State rolls.

SEC

Alabama at Arkansas
CBS 3:30 Verne Lunquist/Gary Danielson

You have to figure the conference shot its wad last week when not one, but two headline games hit on the same day, so we are left with what amounts to the Fayetteville Jaycees charity game. Wait, we have some breaking news: The SEC has just announced they are suspending Gary Danielson for one week. Apparently, after his one sided analysis towards Florida, which was confirmed as indisputable evidence on replay, it was determined he is an obnoxious turd head that needs a can of you know what opened up on him. Wait, I have a can here, so while I go get it, you can watch Bama beat the Hogs.

Independents

#12 Notre Dame at Michigan State
ABC 8:00 Brent Musburger/Bob Davie/Kirk Herbstreit

Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weiss had Brent Musburger’s tongue surgically removed after the ABC announcer found out the Irish signals for a checking to a pass play, what Knute Rockne’s hat size was, and what Brady Quinn did on his summer job as a roadie for the Ozark Mountain Daredevils Reunion Tour. I have a feeling after last year’s Spartan upset, as well as last week’s loss, the Irish are hungry and motivated to end the two game losing streak in this bitter series. And if they should lose, it has been decided that all Irish fans can give Musburger an atomic wedgeie. Irish beat the Spartans.

Late Game
Idaho at Oregon State
FSN 10:00 No Announcers listed

Once the whisky starts to wear off and you are coming off that emotionally charged Kentucky/Florida game (Which, for the life of me, I cannot figure out why this is the ESPN prime time game, unless they thought this was pre-season basketball), tune in to the Vandals playing the Beavers in Corvallis. Since no announcers are listed, does that mean they are going to do the same thing NBC did back in the 80’s when they tried not having announcers? I can just imagine two Oregon State fans at home passing time while watching the game so they don’t fall asleep. “You think Dokken is ever going to get back together? “Nah, but I think we are out of Funions. That’s a much more important issue right now. Hey, who are we playing again?”

Prediction? I will say without a doubt that Dokken will get back together. As far as the game goes, I have no idea. Tell ya what, you pick it an email me your choice so I can post it on Tuesday.

Marshall at #15 Tennessee
GP 4:00 Randy Smith/Pat Ryan

Well, Vol fans, Coach Scooter is going to see just how many of you are still keeping the faith. The true test of any fan is not where you are in times of victory, but in times of defeat. I heard Kirk Herbstreit talking on a sports talk show in Atlanta about how Coach Fulmer is on the hot seat and the Vols are just not the same powerhouse they were in the 90’s. What’s funny is everyone is talking about how the Vols just don’t have it any more, but consider Florida out played, out gained, and in particular, out hit us when it came to our running game and we still had a chance to beat the #7 team in the nation. We weren’t going to win them all, so you have to figure the media would be there to gloat when we went splat. However, we have a young, hungry team that has shown signs of improvement and can play with anyone in the nation on any given Saturday. We have an opportunity to erase last year’s debacle and shut the mouths of those who say the Vols are dead, and that means we have to be behind the team, starting Saturday afternoon. Now is the time to rally, Big Orange Nation, and it all starts on Saturday with Marshall. Vols go to 3-1 with a victory over the Thundering Herd.

Observations during the week

I watched the Georgia Tech/Virginia game last night and apart from the outstanding performance by probably the best WR in the game today, Calvin Johnson, did anyone else think Al Groh looks like Unger, the snitch, from The Longest Yard?

I also saw Erin Andrews roaming the sideline. Did anyone else think about being her bicycle seat during the Tour De France?

I saw where Auburn is a huge favorite over Buffalo tomorrow. I figured the Tigers would cover the 41 over the Bills, but the scary part is when I found out it was the University of Buffalo and not the NFL’s Buffalo, I didn’t change my bet since I am pretty sure Auburn would cover the 41 over several NFL teams, especially the Bills.

I see where Barry Tompkins is announcing the Arizona State/California game tomorrow night. FSN will hold a special awards ceremony before the game to honor Tompkins with a college football lifetime achievement award, since he has been announcing since the lifetime of college football began with the Princeton/Rutgers game in 1869. You know he was a waiter at the last supper before getting into broadcasting, didn’t you?

What is up with the chuckleheads at ESPN? I was shocked to see the King, Ron Franklin, downgraded to the ESPN2 broadcast of Boston College/N.C. State. I think someone has it in for the man who is the best college football announcer in the game today. If this keeps up, next month we’ll see Franklin doing the Home and Garden Network’s broadcast of the Saperstein family backyard touch football game

All right, Vol fans, until Tuesday, repeat your game maxims, rub those rosary beads and don’t take Coach Fulmer’s name is vain. Please send your comments and questions to: volsdiary@yahoo.com. I look forward to writing to you all on Tuesday!