College Football Week 2 Preview and Predictions

Missouri quarterback James Frankiin is set to for his first real battle against an SEC defense Saturday. (Getty Images)

Since I have had a super busy week, I am only giving a short preview before my predictions. Additionally, this is about as weak of a slate of games as I can remember in a long time. Therefore, they do not merit as thorough of an anylsis as my other ones.

5. #24 Florida @ Texas A&M - 3:30 PM EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Texas A&M's debut against Louisiana Tech this season was postponed due to the effects of Hurricane Isaac. Now instead, their opening game will be against new conference rival Florida. The Aggies will look to get the season off on the right foot in their first game as a SEC member. Meanwhile, the Gators will look to continue their success from their 27-14 win over Bowling Green last weekend. They will be looking for continued growth out of newly named starting quarterback Jeff Driskel.

Prediction: Florida 24 Texas A&M 20                                              

4. Air Force @ #19 Michigan - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2

The Michigan Wolverines must look to bounce back quickly from their disappointing 41-14 loss to Alabama. They can't afford to be hungover going into their home opener against a dangerous Air Force team. The Falcons rushed for an amazing 484 yards last week in a win over Idaho State. They will look to use their option offense to control the tempo against Michigan. The Wolverines will look for a bounce back game from quarterback Denard Robinson. They will also be the beneficiaries of getting starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint back from suspension.

Prediction: Michigan 38 Air Force 24

3. #16 Nebraska @ UCLA - 7:30 PM EST, FOX

Nebraska travels across the country to take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl. The Cornhuskers hope that this is the first of two trips this season. If that is going to be the case, they must win games such as this one. Nebraska star quarterback Taylor Martinez had a huge game last week. The one potential blow to the Cornhuskers offense is that star running back Rex Burkhead is questionable for the game. UCLA kicked off the Jim Mora era with a solid win over Rice. They look to keep their momentum going this weekend.

Prediction: Nebraska 30 UCLA 24

2. Purdue @ #22 Notre Dame - 3:30 PM EST, NBC

Notre Dame's dominance of Navy in Ireland was one of the big stories from last week. This Saturday should show the affect that jet lag has on their ability to play football. For the Fighting Irish, the man at the center of it all is sophomore quarterback Everett Golson. Golson shined last week against the Midshipmen. Purdue will undoubtedly be excited to travel and play their in-state rivals this weekend. Their three-quarterback attack should cause the Irish defense to stay on their toes.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34 Purdue 20

1. #7 Georgia @ Missouri - 7:45 PM EST, ESPN2/WatchESPN

This is Missouri's first SEC game since joining the conference. With it being at home, the home crowd will certainly be stoked for this one. One clear advantage that the Tigers have is that they have the element of surprise. Their spread offense led by quarterback James Franklin is something that Georgia will not be as familiar with. Georgia is the heavy favorite in the game. However, I have some concerns. On defense, the Bulldogs have six starters suspended for the game. Additionally, they looked suspect at times against Buffalo last week.

Prediction: Missouri 34 Georgia 31

NHL Labor Negotiations Could Continue Soon

Nearly 200 NHL players are expected to be in New York next Wednesday and Thursday for player meetings. (Chris Young)

The NHL's current collective bargaining agreement expires on September 15. While the NHL and NHLPA are officially away from the negotiating table, discussions have picked up around the league as the date continues to get closer. Commissioner Gary Bettman has resoundingly stated that if a deal isn't reached, he will impose a lockout on the league.

The NHL has already suffered from a recent lockout. During the 2004-2005 season, the league canceled the entire season and playoffs, until the current deal was agreed to. Everyone involved with the NHL would prefer to retain from that occurring again. When asked about how this summer relates to the summer of 2004, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly had the following to say.

"I think its been different in a lot of respects. At least with respect to a lot of the issues that need to be discussed and worked out, we plowed a lot of ground in that area and made some progress. I think we have some tentative agreement to some things, we have teed up other issues in other areas, so from that perspective we had a good summer of negotiation."

While there has been some progress made, both sides remain fairly entrenched in their views. Daly added, "Right now it appears as though we're stalled, at least temporarily." If the season is to stay fully intact, the two sides must begin to find a compromise quickly. The first preseason game is scheduled for September 19. Regular season games are slated to begin October 11. It will be interesting to see where the heart of each side really lies and what and when something is finally decided.

Adam Greenberg is Attempting Unexpected Comeback

Years after suffering a tragic injury, Adam Greenberg is striving to comeback and record his first official major league at-bat. (Getty Images)

In July 2005, Adam Greenberg was one of many promising prospects in the Chicago Cubs farm system. He was called up to the majors that same month. On July 9, 2005, the 24-year-old Greenberg was called to pinch hit in the ninth inning. The first pitch he saw from Florida Marlins reliever Valerio de los Santos was a 92 mph fastball that struck him square in the head.

Greenberg has suffered from post-concussion symptoms, vertigo and blurred vision ever since. After playing in three other club's minor league systems, he never returned to the majors. Greenberg spent the last three seasons playing for the independent league Bridgeport Bluefish. Recently, he has been invited to play on Team Israel's qualifying team that is seeking their inaugural entry into the World Baseball Classic.

Greenberg still has the desire to return the majors. Many people have caught word of his aspirations and are looking to support him in any way possible. Chicago-born filmmaker Matt Liston has started a film-based campaign called "One At-Bat" to tell Greenberg's story and to present their plan to give him one major league at-bat.

Liston's campaign is seeking to convince the Cubs to give Greenberg one major league at-bat during their October 1-3 series against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field. The series has no bearing upon any of the postseason drama. The now 31-year-old Greenberg is in excellent shape for his age. His recent experience in minor league baseball will only help his chances.

While Greenberg's comeback is unlikely to be fulfilled, Liston and other supporters have started an online petition to help convince the Cubs to let him play once more. I have signed the petition to support Greenberg's return to the majors. Seven years after the accident, he deserves the opportunity to do what was freakishly taken away from him. The commitment that Greenberg has shown to keep playing baseball and to persevere through the pain deserves to be commended. If you agree with that, I encourage you to sign the petition and to help spread the word about it.

What to Watch for in Giants and Cowboys NFL Kickoff

Soft-spoken New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is ready to let his play show how talented he really is. (Nick Laham)

It is hard to believe that the start of the NFL season is less than 24 hours away. On Wednesday night, the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants host their NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys. With much on the line already, my blog post looks to give you a few things to keep an eye on while you watch the game.

Giants Wide Receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz vs.
Cowboys Cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr

One of the most blatant statistics from last year's Giants vs. Cowboys matchups was that Nicks and Cruz lit up the Cowboys secondary for 25 catches and nearly 500 receiving yards. It obviously didn't take long for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to take notice of the issue. It was one of his top offseason priorities. Jones traded up to get Claiborne out of LSU in the first round of the draft. He also acquired Carr from the Kansas City Chiefs. The real question becomes are Claiborne and Carr ready to slow down and contain Nicks and Cruz. Wednesday night's game should be a good indicator one way or the other.

Giants Defensive Line vs. Cowboys Offensive Line

This is not an insult to the Cowboys offensive line. They are actually pretty talented, especially if tight end Jason Witten is able to play through his lacerated spleen. This is really about how good the Giants defensive line is. Whether it is Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyoria, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, or Rocky Bernard, the Giants have a ton of personnel that they can rotated through their defensive line. If the Cowboys are going to have any chance of winning, they must protect their quarterback Tony Romo and open up lanes for their running backs.

Giants Dominance vs. Cowboys Lack There Of

Since 2008, the Giants are 7-2 against the Cowboys. The wins haven't typically been blowouts. They have usually come down to one or two crucial plays. The Giants players have been the ones making them. Last December, it was Pierre-Paul's field goal attempt block. In January, it was Giants quarterback Eli Manning's third down completion to Cruz in the fourth quarter. The Giants have simply been the better team as of late. There has to be a psychological edge that comes along with that.

Virginia Tech Comes From Behind to Defeat Georgia Tech

Virginia Tech kicker Cody Journell nailed a field goal at the end of regulation and in overtime to seal the Hokies' victory. (Geoff Burke)

Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech have dominated the ACC Coastal Division in recent years. In fact, the winner of their matchup has gone on to win the division and earned the spot in the ACC Championship Game each of the past seven seasons. With the Hokies hosting the Yellow Jackets in the very first week of the season, there was added incentive to get the season off on the right foot.

The air was electric at Lane Stadium as the game got under way. For the first three quarters, it looked like points were going to be a scarcity with the both defenses playing well. Midway through the first quarter, Virginia Tech finally made it into the red zone. On 2nd and goal, Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas went play-action pass and hooked up with senior tight end Eric Martin in the back of the end zone. Just like that, the Hokies were up 7-0.

Georgia Tech got a gift from Virginia Tech not long after. Set up in punt formation, Hokies freshman punter A.J. Hughes let a snap go through his hands and had to scramble to land on it 22 yards back. This meant Georgia Tech started out at the Hokies 24 yard line. On their third run play, Yellow Jackets tailback Robert Godhigh burst around the left side of the line, broke several tackles, and walked into the endzone. The score remained 7-7 at halftime. In fact, the score remained unchanged heading into the fourth quarter.

Three seconds into the quarter, Georgia Tech broke the deadlock on a 34-yard field goal by kicker David Scully. Virginia Tech answered with a big play by two of their offensive stars. Thomas threw deep into the endzone and connected with speedy wide receiver Demitri Knowles for the 42-yard touchdown strike. Trailing 14-10 late in the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets run-heavy offense had to change their approach.

The Georgia Tech drive stalled around midfield, setting up a fourth-and-six to go. With three minutes to go in the game, the Yellow Jackets elected to go for it. Senior quarterback Tevin Washington rolled to his right and avoided the sack. His elusive move gave his receivers time to get open down field. Washington spotted a narrow opening down the sideline. He zipped in a pass that was caught by sophomore B.J. Bostic for a 19-yard gain that kept the drive alive.

The Yellow Jackets drive continued into the red zone. On 2nd and goal, Washington found sophomore Deon Hill with open space. Hill caught the pass, ran a few yards, and dove into the endzone. The Blacksburg faithful was stunned. Their Hokies trailed 17-14 with just 44 seconds left to play in the final quarter. But as the old adage puts it, it ain't over until the fat lady sings.

Thomas and the Virginia Tech offense didn't hear any music. They were focused on the task set before them. Thomas came up with two big passing plays, 22 and 23 yards respectively, to senior wide receiver Corey Fuller. With six seconds left on the clock, Hokies kicker Cody Journell trotted out for a 41-yard attempt. Journell was clutch as his kick split the uprights to send this battle into overtime.

In overtime, Georgia Tech got the ball first. On their first play, Washington passed the ball to Godhigh for an 11-yard gain and a first down. Washington then rushed twice for four yards and zero yards to set up 3rd-and-six for the Yellow Jackets. Washington dropped back to pass, but was immeadiately under pressure. He panicked and threw the ball right into the hands of Hokies cornerback Kyle Fuller for the huge interception.

This meant that all Virginia Tech need in their overtime possession was a field goal to win. On their first play, Thomas handed the ball off to freshman tailback Michael Holmes who rushed for a six-yard gain. Holmes got the carry again on second down. This time, he burst up the middle and carried tacklers all the way to the Georgia Tech one yard line. Thomas tried to rush it into the endzone three times, but the Yellow Jackets defense stood their ground.

This meant Journell had to come out for the game-winning field goal attempt. Despite it being a simple kick, Georgia Tech called a timeout to try and ice him. It didn't make a difference as Journell's kick went straight through the uprights to lift the Hokies past the Yellow Jackets 20-17. The game was hard fought by both sides. Georgia Tech will undoubtebly be disappointed, as it was a game they should have won. As the Hokies often seem to do at home, they found a way to win it in the end. This means that Virginia Tech is the frontrunner to win the ACC Coastal Division. Georgia Tech and the rest of the division have their work cut out for them to catch the Hokies.

Oosthuizen Birdies His Way Into the Lead at Deutsche Bank

South Aftican golfer Louis Oosthuizen made seven straight birdies Sunday to help build a three-shot lead. (Michael Dwyer)

Most people expected PGA Champion Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to set the pace Sunday at TPC Boston. However, as the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship got under way, it was clear that someone else was set to emerge as the pacesetter. That someone turned out to be South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen found his groove and didn't look back. On the front nine, he made seven birdies for a tournament record 29. From holes four through ten, Oosthuizen made seven consecutive birdies. He didn't even miss a green until the 17th hole. The same hole where Oosthuizen had his only bogey of the round, but he made amends for it on the 18th with yet another birdie.

Oosthuizen finished his round Sunday with an 8-under 63. Through three rounds, he has shot a tournament-record 19-under 194. Oosthuizen leads McIlroy by three shots and Woods and Dustin Johnson by six shots each. He is right where he wants to be going into the final round on Labor Day.

There's no guarantee that Oosthuizen will just stroll away with this win Monday. However, he has dominated like this before. After all, Oosthizen is the same golfer who won the 2010 Open Championship by seven shots. Though he is also the same golfer who dramatically lost the Masters last April in a playoff to Bubba Watson.

The question becomes which Oosthuizen will we see Monday as he tries to hold his lead in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. He will have the added pressure of having Johnson and Woods directly ahead of him and being placed in the final pairing with McIlroy. Oosthuizen has told reporters that he is ready to prove that the Open Championship win wasn't a fluke. That he can win another major. Well this appears to be just the opportunity he was looking for.

Oosthuizen has the three-shot lead in a significant tour tournament. If he is going to win this thing, he is going to have directly beat a pair of former major champions. As they say, to be the best, you have to beat the best. Oosthuizen isn't the best golfer in the world right now, but if he wants to be in that conversation, this is the type of tournament he must win. All eyes on Labor Day will be directly on Oosthuizen to see what he does.

Eureka College Quarterback Sam Durley Throws for 736 Yards

Eurkea College quarterback Sam Durley threw for 736 yards and five touchdowns in his team's 62-55 comeback win. (Eureka.edu)

The first weekend of college football is usually full of offensive explosions. While #19 Oklahoma State did demolish Savannah State 84-0, there was one more impressive offensive display Saturday. It unexpectedly took place in a NCAA Division III game in Galesburg, Illinois between the Eureka College Red Devils and the Knox College Prairie Fire.

Eureka quarterback Sam Durley completed 34 of 52 passes for 736 yards and five touchdowns. His incredible performance broke a NCAA single-game all-levels record for passing yards in a single game, topping the 731 yards thrown by Menlo College quarterback Zamir Amin in 2000. When asked about his yardage, Durley seemed genuinely surprised. He told reporters, "I thought maybe high 300s. We were so focused on driving down the field and getting the win. They told me afterward, and I was pretty speechless. It's definitely something that's pretty cool."

Durley spread the wealth fairly equally. The Red Devils had six players catch passes. Five of them had at least 79 receiving yards. Durley did have two top receivers he targeted most. Jordan Kindred had 13 catches for 235 yards. Amazingly, Kindred is a basketball player who was playing organized football for the very first time. Durley's other top target was his roommate, Jake Bane. Bane had seven receptions for 207 yards.

With the fourth quarter winding to a close, Eureka actually trailed Knox 55-45. Durley calmly kept the air attack going, but it was the Red Devils defense that stepped up and came up with the stops when they were needed most. With 1:44 minute left in the fourth quarter, Durley found Bane for a 13-yard touchdown completion to tie the game game up 55-55. The Eureka defense came up with the stop they needed and gave the ball back to their offense with just over a minute to play in the fourth quarter. Durley drove the Red Devils 72 yards in just five plays and 51 seconds. With 20 seconds left in the game, Eureka took the 62-55 lead when Durley and Bane connected for another 13-yard touchdown strike. The Red Devils defense held on for the win.

Eureka's comeback win was impressive in and of itself. Durley's performance was truly incredible. That type of dominance and consistency is unheard of to say the least. The fact that Kindred had 235 receiving yards in his first organized football game is unbelievable as well. It will be interesting to see how Durley and the Red Devils offensive responds when they play next Saturday. They will face a much tougher task when they travel to Duluth, Minnesota to take on St. Scholastica, the defending Upper Midwest Athletic Conference champion. What is without a doubt is that this is day that Durley and everyone else at Eureka College will never forget.