Monday Afternoon Long Snapper (8/18/08)

We’re now only 10 days away from the start of the 2008 college football season. I tried to get fancy and put up a countdown timer. It worked fantastically in Firefox, but IE didn’t like it so much. Thanks Microsoft!

As a diehard college football fan, I remain fairly interested throughout the entire season. The peaks and valleys are present of course, but for the most part, I’m into college football until the very last game is played. It helps big time that UF is a major program and USF is on the rise, but I always wonder about those diehards that cheer for bad teams. When did a SMU fan jump ship last season? Game 4? 5? 10? I want to believe they remained excited throughout, but we all know that’s not the case. I’ve sat through my share of Bucs’ seasons where it was very hard to keep cheering after the year was essentially lost. Hell, it was nearly impossible for me to stay in front of the TV during the second half of last year’s Sun Bowl as Oregon kept scoring and scoring and scoring. And it’s not just the bad teams. What about the ones stuck in mediocrity? Do diehard NC State fans exist?

Anyway, here’s what going on in college football…

• The AP released its first poll of the season – 2 weeks after the coaches offered up their’s. The top spot belongs to Georgia again. The Bulldogs received just as many – 22 – 1st-place votes as they did from the coaches.

The rest of the poll was striking similar. The teams occupying the top 23 spots are the same in both, with some slight shifting. The biggest variance of any of those 23 is only 2 spots (Texas Tech – 12 (AP), 14 (Coaches); Virginia Tech – 17 (AP), 15 (Coaches); USF – 19 (AP), 21 (Coaches)). The AP liked Alabama and Pittsburgh for the bottom 2 spots, while the coaches decided to take Michigan and Fresno State.

The Gators came in at #5, which is the same as their ranking in the Coaches’ Poll. UF received 6 1st-place votes – 2 more than #4 Oklahoma.

USF was ranked on all but 5 of the 65 ballots and even got as high as #8 on one.

If you want anyone to question, look no further than Adam Van Brimmer of the Savannah Morning News. Van Brimmer has UF at #21 – #8 was the lowest the Gators appeared on any of the other 64 ballots – and he didn’t rank the Bulls.

• Gator fans may remember Josh Portis. The quarterback originally committed to Utah, but followed Urban Meyer when he took the Florida job. After his true freshman year – where he was the backup to Chris Leak – he transferred to Maryland. Rumor was that neither Portis nor his mother understood why he was the backup (they both needed a serious reality check). He sat out in 2006 due to transfer rules, but was then ruled ineligible for 2007 after cheating. Now 3 years after suiting up for the Gators, Portis might finally see the field again. Although he won’t start – and isn’t even the primary backup – Terps head coach Ralph Freidgen has said Portis will see the field. Don’t lose any sleep though Gator fans. Had Portis actually lived up to his tremendous hype – and not had such a big head – he might have remained in Gainesville and a certain player named that goes by the name of Tim Tebow might have gone somewhere else.

• Former Cincinnati quarterback Ben Mauk is now suing the NCAA for another year of eligibility. After going through numerous appeals and denials, Mauk has decided this is the best course of action. With the season less than 2 weeks away, it’s time for Mauk to move on. I can understand not wanting to give up on the chance to play clearly the world’s greatest sport, but enough is enough.

• Bulls’ defensive line coach John Hendrick was ready to return to practice on Monday. Only July 1st, Hendrick suffered a heart attack and it was later discovered that he had over 85% blockage of his arteries. He appears to be doing well now and was able to return to the team.

• Huntingdon College freshman defensive lineman Sam Collins passed away after becoming sick during practice. Although the cause of death has yet to be official determined, heat stroke or exhaustion is suspected.

• Football on the Web: Check out Pollspeak, where you can see how AP voters voted.