Are You Not Entertained?!

Oklahoma State players Jamie Blatnick (50) and Justin
Gilbert (4) celebrate after Stanford's Jordan Williamson (36)
misses a field goal during the Fiesta Bowl. The Stanford-
Oklahoma State game proved the need for at least a plus-1
game, if not an eight-team playoff.

It's been said for years, but the time has come for the NCAA to own up to its biggest mistake — the B(C)S.

While named the Bowl Championship Series, the only series of events that takes place is the Big East team taking on an at-large team in the Nobody Cares Bowl. Sadly, the Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl used to be games that everybody watched – until the NCAA decided to step in.

But now the NCAA has the chance to rectify the situation — or at least add some excitement.

This bowl season has been incredible. From Ohio edging Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to Michigan State's win in triple overtime over Georgia, it has been fun to watch. Even the Stanford-Oklahoma State Fiesta Bowl had me on the edge of my seat the entire game.

And as a fan I want more.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating a complete playoff system. I like the bowls. I know the athletes like going to Arizona, Texas, Florida and California for a week of fun in the sun. But wouldn't it be great if we could have a real Bowl Championship Series (or Bowl Championship Playoffs)?

Take the top eight teams — no matter what conference — and have them square off. If you're in a lousy conference like the Big East or Mountain West, get rid of the cupcakes and schedule some real teams if you want to a spot in the BCP. If you can survive the SEC or Big 12 and remain in the top eight, then you deserve your shot at the nation's best teams.

We saw what happened when Oregon's speed met Wisconsin's strength. We'll see some more of that in the next few days. Why not try to produce even more of that with a mini playoff?

True, the playoff would add three more games and possibly two more weeks to the schedule, but in his last press conference in Stillwater, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said there was already too much of a lag between the regular season and those late postseason bowls. Why not take a couple weeks out and give the fans what they want, a playoff?

The NCAA is a business, no matter how they try to spin it. And like most good businesses, the goal is to make money. Hosting three extra games would cost a little more, but with television rights and fans packing the stadiums, it seems like a money tree that's ripe for the picking.

If nothing else, even adding a plus-1 playoff game would be enough to quench the thirst of those fans who crave more football before delving into their brackets for March Madness. Plus it would also force Nike co-founder Phil Knight to come up with something even more ridiculous than the "Darth Vader" helmets used in this year's Rose Bowl.

Weird, Wacky Stuff

Michigan State's Keith Nichol (7) and B.J.
Cunningham (3) celebrate after the Spartans beat
Wisconsin 37-31 on a hail mary pass. Mid-October
games like that are only part of the reason Americans
love college football.

If you didn't catch any college football last week, I regret to inform you but your fan card has just been revoked.

From fake refs and the ensuing brawl in the Arizona-UCLA game to Michigan State's hail mary victory upon further review this weekend had just about everything a college football fan could want. Then again, doesn't October always bring out the best in college football?

Think about it for a second. Usually right around Halloween we start to see the major upsets. Teams that once had dreams of national championships and undefeated seasons suddenly show their true colors and become pretenders. Why is that?

The obvious reason is that desperation starts to sink in for everyone. Teams on the bubble for a bowl began to step their game up against the country's top teams, resulting in some of the best games of the season.

It can get messy sometimes — see the brouhaha at Arizona — but it can also be fun. In a matter of hours, we saw two top 10 teams fall on Saturday night — effectively changing not only the BCS scene but also the national championship picture.

This is why we love college football. It isn't just the tailgates, the homecomings and the love for the ol' alma mater that draws us to these games week after week. It's the upsets — knowing that on any given Saturday dreams are crushed, while other live on.

In a couple weeks, LSU will face Alabama. Assuming all goes well, it should be No. 1 against No. 2. And I, for one, can't wait to see how the rest of the season plays out.

The Good, The Bad And The U-G-L-Y

Maryland's season got off to a rocky start with new
uniforms. It's hard to say whether the uniforms were
punishment for Miami's Shapiro-gate or just a well-devised
distraction to help the Terrapins get a season-opening win
over the Hurricanes.

We finally made it.

After an offseason full of arrests and scandals, the college football season finally kicked off this past weekend – for better or worse.

Much like the offseason there were some bumps and bruises. Auburn nearly tripped out of the gate against Utah State, the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame didn't put up much of a fight against Skip Holtz's South Florida squad and the ol' alma mater struggled against Miami (OH).

Then there were the were teams like Ohio State – crushing Akron without five members of its team and quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Or Oklahoma State dismantling the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette with Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon.

But perhaps the most shocking event of the weekend came on Monday night. Miami has already been through its toughest offseason ever, with Nevin Shapiro's atomic bomb. Turns out they were served their punishment when they saw Maryland go from bad to worse in their jersey selection. One can only hope things will get better for the Terps and their 38 uniform combinations.

Speaking of uniforms, hopefully you were able to adjust your television sets back after watching the Boise State-Georgia game. It's fine that Boise State wants to join the likes of Oregon as Nike U, but Georgia should seriously consider burning those uniforms given the tradition surrounding the program and the SEC.

There were definitely some winners and losers in this first week. Not all the winners won their games,  and not all the losers lost. But if there's one thing we've learned, it's that we have a long season ahead of us.

And it could be made even longer if someone doesn't stop the Under Armour-Nike train that is running rampant across college football, turning once traditional garbs into nothing more than high school uniforms.

What I Learned At College

Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville may be smiling during
the Big 12 media days, but my guess is he'll quickly lose
that smile after Dan Beebe reprimands him for his sarcastic
remarks about the league's staying power.

While the NFL players are signing contracts and trying to get ready for the season in half the time they normally take, not all eyes are on the big boys. Some are carefully watching the college game and ignoring all the legal mumbo-jumbo that's going on at the professional ranks.

From Ohio quarterback Gunner Kiel's shocking verbal commitment to Indiana to the zoo that is media days, college football is certainly on the forefront of most fans' minds. For those that went to college, this final week in July signifies hope that our alma mater will once again make us proud on the field in the fall.

It is also a time most journalists – like myself – salivate for the quotes bound to come out of players' and coaches' mouths. I'm not sure whether its the heat, the two-a-days or just the fact that everybody's so enthralled about getting ready for the season, but every year there seems to be at least one coach or player who spouts off at the mouth and says something he immediately regrets.

Last year, Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville criticized the Big 12 and said the league wouldn't last without Nebraska or Colorado. Dan Beebe, the Big 12 commissioner, didn't enjoy Tuberville's lack of enthusiasm and reprimanded the coach.

This year, Tuberville didn't spout off at the Big 12 media day, per se. Instead he showed his support for the league by saying it will last. But before his time at the podium ended, Tuberville followed that answer up by asking the media if that was what he was supposed to say – taking one final dig at Beebe. One can only imagine the punishment that is bound to occur this time.

However, Tuberville is not the only one who will be in hot water before the start of the season. Southern Cal running back Marc Tyler may also end up in coach Lane Kiffin's doghouse after a night out in Hollywood.

Tyler – knowing full well that USC is currently under the close watch of the NCAA – told TMZ that the reason the Trojans are able to land such prized recruits is because at "USC, they breaking bread." Now I'm a little behind on my hip-hop lingo, but I can't help but wonder if USC players are making more than the NFL players. After all, what kind of college kid has enough dough to hit up a Hollywood club? Who knows, maybe Kim Kardashian has gone back to her old roots of chasing down USC running backs.

Either way, these are just two examples of what is sure to be a colorful week of college football. The games are always fun to watch, but if this is just a taste of what's to come this year – well, you better fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride.

This Vest Isn't Bulletproof

Jim Tressel has a lot to hang his head
about at Ohio State these days. Tressel
will not be on the sidelines for the first
two games as the Buckeyes begin their
2011 season.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has always been one of the classiest guys on or off the football field. His sweater vest and tie are as iconic as Bear Bryant's checkered fedora or Steve Spurrier's visor.

But when the 2011 season rolls around the Vest will not be on the sidelines against in-state rivals Akron and Toledo – along with five players.

While the players are at fault for selling merchandise for free tattoos, Tressel's failure to comply with the NCAA cost him $250,000 and the first two games of what looks to be a promising 2011 campaign. In April, he was warned about two players involved in a drug-trafficking scheme through an e-mail, only to brush it off like a one-star recruit.

It isn't that Ohio State will necessarily need the Vest on the sidelines. The practice squad will probably still hang 60 points on the lowly Zips and Rockets, but it's the Vest's principles that are at risk here.

For years, Tressel was regarded as one of the good guys. He did everything by the book. When he beat Miami to win his first national championship in 2002, there was hope that a college football team could win without making an appearance in the local court. Of course, that was with Maurice Clarett – who has now spent more time behind bars than in the classroom.

But you can't fault the Vest for one bad apple emerging after Clarett ended his career in Columbus. Even during the Terrelle Pryor recruiting saga, Tressel did nothing out of the ordinary to steal Pryor from Pennsylvania. He simply told Pryor exactly what he wanted to hear, and that got the prized recruits attention.

When the five players were suspended for the free ink, a small portion of that fell back on the Vest. Most of it dealt with Tressel not being able to control his players 24/7. But when the news broke about Tressel's failure to comply with the NCAA, questions start to arise.

What was he doing that was so important that he couldn't talk to his players? He has the typical professor look, why not do what every college professor would have done and approached the players about the issue? Ohio has a lot of great golf courses in the spring and summer, but he could have at least left the clubs in his office for one day while trying to avoid NCAA sanctions.

The reason the Vest didn't act is fairly simple – he didn't think he would get caught.

Most major powerhouses believe that if you're not cheating, your not trying. And apparently Ohio State is no exception.

With the suspension, a dark cloud has suddenly started to form over the Horseshoe in Columbus. Those sunny skies and days of doing things with class are over. Tressel just better hope the NCAA doesn't find out about any more violations or the Vest may be looking for a new wardrobe.