Well on the bright side, what a great start to the 2004 college football season. USC — the game’s most dominant program at the moment — got a solid scare from Virginia Tech — the game’s most consistently overrated program (thanks largely to ESPN) — but still prevailed 24-13. And it ain’t like the Hokies, who were 17.5 point underdogs, did it with smoke and mirrors either. Frank Beamer and his staff — easily the most schizophrenic group in college football (can anybody argue that they didn’t just mail it in against Pitt each of the past three years?) — used a solid game plan built on their team’s strengths: a highly mobile quarterback (Bryan Randall wound up being their top rusher with 82 yards) and good tight ends (I hope Walt was watching). So did Virginia Tech surprise me by being a little better than I expected? Sure, I’ll admit that much.

But what really surprised me was how badly overrated USC was. Neither their vaunted receiving corps nor (more importantly) their offensive line was anywhere near national championship caliber. Matt Leinart looked thoroughly average in the first half, although most of that must obviously be blamed on his relatively slow, blockhanded receivers and his absolutely porous offensive line (I admittedly have to give VT’s usually terrible defensive coordinator Bud Foster some credit for his blitzing package). In the end, the #1 ranked Trojans were barely saved by their halftime-adjusted defense (Tech only got about 70 yards in the second half), a few gimmick passes to their tailback Reggie Bush, and a @#%*@#! offensive pass interference call on Tech’s Hyman.

So anyways, like I said above, what an entertaining game… on the bright side. On the bad side, I obviously picked USC to cover against what I thought was an absolutely pathetic Virginia Tech squad after they ended last season going 1 for 6. Well, at least I consistently suck, unlike Virginia Tech.

Finally, and most importantly, I must request — nay, demand — that all good Pitt fans read Crazy Paco’s review of Paterno’s most recent comments concerning the renewal of the Pitt-Penn State rivalry (mentioned here first by Chas last evening). Absolutely genius, funny, and most importantly of all, factual. The part where Paco completely debunks the Paterno-born myth that Allegheny County has more Penn State alumni than Pitt alumni is the high point. From one Blair County Penn State debunker to another, you’re the best, Paco.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the Centre Daily Times neither covered Paterno’s comments nor made any attempt to rebut them.

Hail to Joe Paterno continuing to make himself look like an idiot without any help from anyone else.