We have to make a distinction.
College football started last Saturday when Eastern Washington hosted Sam Houston State in Cheney, WA. It’s Division I football, I-AA, but it’s still college football. So when your friends tell you college football started Thursday night, that is…WRONG.
Perusing Twitter on Thursday, I saw several college writers make a distinction which I (reluctantly) agree with: “big-time” college football starts tonight (Thursday).
As much as I dislike that phrase, it fits. FBS or Division I-A football is the big boy level of college football. It’s where the money flows and flows and…
It all got started with
https://twitter.com/BrianMFloyd/status/505111726539669504
Dad as in Brent Musburger:
When you think “big-time” college football, you have to think Brent Musburger. Long the voice of ABC/ESPN, Brent is now calling games on the SEC Network. Big-time announcer calling big-time college football is a marriage made in SEC heaven.
"You are looking live…" Thank you Brent
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) August 28, 2014
I'm going to miss this but my man Brent saying, "You are looking live at Williams-Brice Stadium…" is the best way to kickoff the season!
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) August 28, 2014
Down 31-14 at the half, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier wasn’t just pic-worthy, he was tweet-worthy too:
Director: "GET THE SPURRIER HEAD-IN-HANDS REACTION SHOT."
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) August 28, 2014
Spurrier spent summer digging at Sumlin more than having team ready. Surely gave A&M staff added motivation. 18-gm home win strk in danger.
— Travis Haney (@travhaney) August 28, 2014
The old ball coach may soon be "he was the old ball coach". Ugly loss at home.
— Chris Moore (@mooretosay) August 29, 2014
Games aren’t won with off-season talking points. And, they’re not won with excitement and enthusiasm, unfortunately:
It may look good on TV, but it's incredible LIVE! Sandstorm before kickoff: http://t.co/FgQ4X9qrwF #Gamecocks #HereSC
— Gamecock Athletics (@GamecocksOnline) August 28, 2014
Getting back to South Carolina – way to improve a quarterback’s Heisman odds, Gamecocks:
Kenny Hill wasn't listed on anyone's Heisman board before tonight…he just opened up at 20-1 (via @Sportsbook_com )
— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) August 29, 2014
***
A Very Social Night of CFB
Lest anyone thinks it was only a Gamecock-Aggie type of night – oh those horrible yellow things:
Field just turned yellow for all the penalties on the play – roughing the punter – #Warhawks will keep the ball and get a new set of downs
— Warhawk Report (@WarhawkReport) August 29, 2014
Good thing spelling doesn’t count against you Wake Forest:
For a young team with undoubtably some nerves, couldn't have asked for a better start.
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) August 28, 2014
Fan wardrobe is, well, in early season form:
The Louisiana-Monroe camo-out is real: http://t.co/fpUI6eYA8c pic.twitter.com/XuXHXjSYL4
— SB Nation (@SBNation) August 28, 2014
https://twitter.com/edsbs/status/505155599781609472
As is the pooch-punt…or whatever this is called:
https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/505166742717362176
You know it’s college football season when CAPS LOCK returns from The Key Play:
AND I'LL GIVE PROPS TO ANY O-LINEMAN THAT CAN TOSS A GUY AT THE LOS, THEN BUST HIS BUTT DOWNFIELD TO PICK UP SOMEONE IN SPACE.
— SWEET 16 (@thekeyplay) August 29, 2014
Football is a hitting game. But, perhaps not like this:
#32 don’t do that. Ever https://t.co/QBgZDCY3SZ
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) August 29, 2014
I’m not sure what to make of this – you? It just doesn’t compute:
Please no.. @markschlereth:This goes against all I believe but I find myself cheering for Boise state. I must be getting soft in my old age!
— Vandal Nation (@VandalNation) August 29, 2014
Had to be the helmets, right?
Boise State, meanwhile, will pair white jerseys and orange pants with these new orange helmets: pic.twitter.com/Q9ZKeeaKxI
— Uniforms Nation (@uniformsnation) August 28, 2014
**
In All Their Vandy-ness
The dawn of the college football season also means new uniforms:
Much to the delight of Commodore fans, the weather delayed the game just, long, enough…
I see God sent the rain so I could catch the entire game! #ThankYouLord #VUFootball
— Jordan Matthews (@jmattjmattjmatt) August 29, 2014
Wait, what???
#Vanderbilt is getting charged with a timeout each half because they have "ANCHOR DOWN" on the nameplates on back of its jerseys.
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) August 29, 2014
So apparently Vandy says it did get the unis approved, and it’s digging up an email during the game to prove it. My God this is theater.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) August 29, 2014
For everyone saying the jersey snafu is So Vanderbilt, having a ruling overturned on an printed out e-mail is so, so Temple
— Professional Tag Appreciation Account (@tcopain) August 29, 2014
Smarts. Efficient. Favorites?
**
Not-Necessarily-Leftovers
Thank goodness for tradition. Even new ones:
There were other not-necessarily-big-time games:
HIGHLIGHTS: Check out a recap of tonight's 20-16 victory over Chattanooga https://t.co/oOyjXNOe54 #FireUpChips
— CMU Football (@CMU_Football) August 29, 2014
Final from @TCFBankStadium: #Gophers 42, #Panthers 20. #BrickByBrick pic.twitter.com/1jIUmWz73t
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 29, 2014
Arizona State with a nice job on timeliness of post-scoring graphics
9 play, 99 yard scoring drive in 2:18 #WEBERvsASU pic.twitter.com/HaPAfCic5p
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) August 29, 2014
Sticking in the Pac-12, when your team plays a “home” game on the other side of the state, you do what you gotta do:
Someone put a projector on the side of the road in Pullman and the bros are pulling over. http://t.co/FAxeLoKvmc pic.twitter.com/H0gZKJzzDE
— Fancred (@Fancred) August 29, 2014
Who doesn’t love overtime (excluding coaches)?
And we're going into OT. End of regulation, 28-all. I guess we're starting @American_FB and @American_Conf off in style. #bringhometheW
— Tulane University Football (@GreenWaveFB) August 29, 2014
Maybe the Tulane Green Wave are part of that group tonight:
Starting the 2014 season off right! TU WINS! Hard fought battle ends with a final of 38-31 #TUnited #Wavetheflag pic.twitter.com/aro2KOoHit
— Tulsa Football (@TulsaFootball) August 29, 2014
***
But seriously, folks. Tonight was all about one team. Not one conference. One team.
KENNY FOOTBALL!!! #GigEm
— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) August 29, 2014
Speaking of Manziel, maybe it wasn’t just him after all:
I thought I loved watching Manziel. Maybe it's just the Texas A&M offense I love. Cause this is fun.
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) August 28, 2014
BIG-TIME!
***
NOTE: Although I live on the West Coast, it’s 10:25pm when I’m completing this post. WSU-Rutgers and Vandy-Temple are still playing. That 4:45am alarm goes off mighty early. So, if I missed something good socially, you’ll know why.
UPDATED: Thanks to Caleb Mezzy for pointing out the #WeTheT hashtag on this morning-after — congrats to Temple on their late-night win over Vanderbilt last night
I love a hashtag that prompts an emotion in me. Much like Baylor’s Coach Art Briles’ #BeTheStandard, this one from Temple means something. It’s been oft-used, but it makes you ask the question, “How can I do that?”.