Week 1: Our Top 25 College Football teams

The kickoff of the 2009 College Football arrived over the past Labor Day weekend, as Week One is now in the books. Who surprised and who fell down after Week 1?

"College Football is an imperfect sport" - Mack Brown, Texas head coach.
Brown also commented about the close of the Iowa-UNI game on ESPNU today.

Look for some interesting games in Week 2 of the College Football season.

1. Florida (1-0) LW 1 - The Gators, the defending BCS champions, opened '09 by rocking Charleston Southern (0-1) 62-3 in Gainsville. Next up: The Gators host the Sun Belt's top program, as the Troy Trojans (0-1) play the Gators again ('07, UF won 59-31). Another tune up until next week's SEC opener in Gainsville?


2. Texas (1-0) LW 2 - The Longhorns kicked off the '09 season with a 59-20 win over Louisiana-Monroe (0-1) from the Sun Belt. The Longhorns hit the road @ the Wyoming Cowboys (1-0) for Week 2. Is Colt McCoy ready to make a bid as the Heisman guy for '09?


3. USC (1-0) LW 3 - The Trojans kicked off at home beating San Jose State (0-1) by 56-3 with first year QB Matt Barkley getting the start. Next up: the Trojans travel to the Horseshoe to face the #5 Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) to defend last year's 35-3 home victory. How will the true freshman Barkley handle his first road test in '09?


4. Alabama (1-0) LW 4 - The Crimson Tide repeat an outstanding start for the '09 season in Atlanta with 34-24 win over then #7 Virginia Tech (0-1). The Tide open at home in Week 2 hosting a Sun Belt program, in Florida International Panthers (0-0), who were idle Week 1, after last year's 5-7 record. Coach Nick Saban has never had back to back double digit win seasons. Will it happen in '09?


5. Ohio State (1-0) LW 6 - The Buckeyes opened the '09 season in the Horseshoe holding off Navy (0-1) 31-27. It doesn't get any easier, as the Buckeyes host #3 USC Trojans in the Horseshoe in the biggest game of the '09 season to date. It was tough going for the Buckeyes at USC in '08 ...


6. LSU (1-0) LW 8 - The Tigers survive the Pacific Northwest trip @ Washington 31-23. Next up: the Tigers open in the SEC at home vs. the Vanderbilt Commodores (1-0), who haven't met, since '05, where LSU won 34-6 in Nashville.


7. Penn State (1-0) LW 9 - The Nittany Lions opened in Happy Valley with a 31-7 win over the Akron Zips. Next up: the Nittany Lions host the Syracuse Orange (0-1), who are coming off a tough OT loss vs. the Minnesota Gophers in the Carrier Dome. PSU won last year @ Syracuse 55-13 and open '09 with four straight in Happy Valley!


8. Oklahoma State (1-0) LW 10 - The Cowboys won the home opener over then #13 Georgia 24-10 to pick up a solid victory to start the '09 season. Next up: the Cowboys host a solid C-USA program in the Houston Cougars (1-0).


9. Brigham Young (1-0) LW 22 - After defeating then #5 Oklahoma (0-1) 14-13 in Dallas, we are moving the Cougars to the #9 spot that they finished the final AP Poll last year. The Cougars have to turn around and head to New Orleans to play @ the Tulane Green Wave (0-1, 0-1 C-USA)


10. California (1-0) LW 12 - The Golden Bears opened the '09 season at home vs. Maryland with a 52-13 win. The Golden Bears host the Eastern Washington Eagles (1-0), a FCS foe, in Week 2.


11. Boise State (1-0) LW 11 - The Broncos past the first real test in the '09 season with a Thursday night opening win at home over then #16 Oregon Ducks (0-1) 19-8. Next up: The Broncos continue their OOC schedule by hosting the Miami-OH RedHawks (0-1).


12. Mississippi (1-0) LW 14 - The Rebels went on the road in the season opener @ Memphis (0-1) to pick up a solid 45-14 victory over their border rival to go 47-10-2 in the series. The Rebels will take the week off to get ready for Week 3 game vs. Southeastern Lousiana Lions (1-0), a FCS foe.


13. Utah (1-0) LW 19 - The Utes picked up from last year's success defeating in-state rival Utah State (0-1) 35-17 on Thursday night. Next up: The Utes hit the road @ the San Jose State Spartans (0-1), who face back to back Top 25 teams.


14. Virginia Tech (0-1) LW 7 - The Hokies couldn't hold on vs. Alabama in Atlanta in Week 1, losing to #4 Alabama (1-0) 24-34. Next up: the Hokies head home to Blacksburg in Week 2 to host the Marshall Thundering Herd (1-0), for the first time, since '05, when the Hokies won 41-14.


15. Georgia Tech (1-0) LW 15 - The Yellow Jackets opened the '09 season with a 37-17 win over FCS foe, Jacksonville State (0-1). Next up: the Yellow Jackets face the #25 Clemson Tigers (1-0) on Thursday night at home in the ACC opener. The Yellow Jackets won on the road last year over the Tigers 21-17.


16. Georgia (0-1) LW 13 - The Bulldogs fall @ then #10 Oklahoma State 10-24 to lose the season opener. Next up: the Bulldogs return to Athens to open SEC play vs. the South Carolina Gamecocks (1-o) in the SEC East. Georgia won last year, but lost at home in '07 12-16 the Gamecocks in Week 2.


17. TCU (0-0) LW 17 - The Horned Frogs were idle Week 1. They travel to the Virginia Cavaliers (0-1), who are licking their wounds from a Week 1 loss to a FCS program, to open the '09 season in Week 2.


18. Miami - FL (1-0, 1-0 ACC Coastal) LW NR - The Hurricanes squeeze out a victory @ then #18 Florida State (0-1, 0-1 ACC Atlantic) 38-34 as the Seminoles pass in the end zone goes incomplete as time elapses. The Hurricanes will be idle Week 2 as they get ready to host the #15 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0) on Thursday, September 17 in Week 3 to continue ACC play.


19. Oklahoma (0-1) LW 5 - Yes, we are dropping the Sooners downward, after the Week 1 loss to then #22 BYU (0-1) in Dallas. They will miss QB Sam Bradford for 2-4 weeks, due to the shoulder injury he sustained in the 1st half. The Sooners will open at home Week 2 vs. Idaho State Bengals (0-1), a FCS foe.


20. Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0) LW 20 - Why should the Hawkeyes remain in the Top 20, after a near loss to FCS foe, the University of Northern Iowa (0-1)? Well, the final score was 17-16 and a win. The key in Week 1 is finding a way to win, especially in games you should. UNI is a solid FCS program looking to get back to the FCS Championship finals again. Next up: the Hawkeyes face in-state rival the Iowa State Cyclones (1-0).


21. Nebraska (1-0) LW 22 - The Cornhuskers opened the '09 season at home vs. Florida Atlantic (0-1) with a 49-3 win for coach Bo Pelini as he enters Year 2 in Lincoln. Next up: another Sun Belt opponent arrives in Lincoln, as the Arkansas State Red Wolves (1-0) arrive to face the Cornhuskers.


22. Oregon State (1-0) LW 23 - The Beavers beat FCS foe, Portland State, 34-7 to open the '09 season. Next up: the Beavers hit the road @ the UNLV Rebels (1-0).


23. Notre Dame (1-0) LW NR - The Fighting Irish picked up a solid win to open the '09 season in South Bend beating a WAC program, Nevada (0-1) 35-0. Next up: the Fighting Irish head up to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines (1-0) in a classic showdown between two long-term OOC rivals


24. West Virginia (1-0) LW 24 - The Mountaineers opened '09 with a win over the Liberty Flames (0-1) by the score of 33-20 in Year 2 under coach Bill Stewart. Next up: the Mountaineers will host the East Carolina Pirates (1-0) this time in a rematch of last year's 3-24 loss.


25. Clemson (1-0) LW 25 - The Tigers won the '09 opener vs. Middle Tennessee State (0-1)37-14 to stay in our Top 25. Next up: a huge ACC opener @ #15 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who has won the past two meetings in this conference series.
    

Teams to Watch in Week 2: North Carolina, Cincinnati, Kansas and Missouri who are currently ranked in Top 25 AP and/or Coaches' Polls.

Exiting our Top 25 Week 1: Oregon Ducks (0-1) LW 16 (L, 8-19 @ then #11 Boise State). Florida State (0-1, 0-1 ACC Coastal) LW 18 (L, 34-38 vs. Miami-FL).

FCS wins over FBS Week 1: William & Mary (1-0) 26-14 @ Virginia (0-1), while Richmond (1-0) 24-16 @ Duke (0-1).

peace