OPINION

By Matt Hayes

updated 12:00 a.m. ET Aug. 30, 2008

Matt Hayes

Ready for some college football? The first slate of Saturday games is almost here.

Here's what to look for:

1. Upsets, upsets, upsets
And you thought we'd be free and clear from the madness of 2007. You want madness, I've got stark-raving madness for you: What in the world is Virginia Tech doing?

There are few coaches I respect more than Frank Beamer. What he has accomplished in Blacksburg — taking the worst program in Division I and building an elite national title contender — may never be done again. That said, he made the decision earlier this week to take his best player — the most dynamic threat on his team — and sit him for the season.

Beamer says Sean Glennon is his quarterback and Tyrod Taylor (see: aforementioned dynamic threat) will hold a clipboard in the hope of redshirting and playing three full years at the position. The decision boggles the mind on many levels, among them:

• Beamer thinks Glennon, who has been nothing but wildly inconsistent in three previous seasons, is the answer this fall. Glennon won the MVP of the ACC championship game last year; it should've gone to the Tech defense. Other than that, Glennon has accomplished ... what?
• Beamer hopes he doesn't have to use Taylor, but when VT is down a touchdown late in Saturday's game at East Carolina, does Beamer go to current backup Cory Holt or does Taylor lose his redshirt at that very moment?
• Beamer thinks the future is just as important as the present. Or maybe, it means he doesn't think this team has the ability to win the ACC, and that he's better off saving Taylor for the next three seasons.

Call it what you want. It's a bad, bad decision. One that will have ramifications in Week 1 with the first big upset of the season when ECU QB Patrick Pinkney goes off.

2. Excuse me, sir, may I have another?
Welcome to the new and improved Big House, everyone. The stadium expansion, the new coach, the new uniforms, the dawn of something gre... hold that thought.

There's this team from Salt Lake City, and they've got a defense that was fifth in the nation in scoring last fall. And they've got a fifth-year senior quarterback who will run the zone-read spread like the new Michigan coach hopes his two or three quarterbacks eventually will. And they surely aren't going to be intimidated by a place that gets loud once every two seasons.

I have no doubt Rich Rodriguez will build something great in Ann Arbor. Just not this year. Don't feel bad, Blue. Michigan lost the first game of the season four straight years from 1987-90. This is only two in a row.

3. And finally, three for the show
A guy is entitled to change his mind, right? Earlier this week, I was flat-out convinced Clemson was beating Alabama. Then I had this enlightening conversation with myself:

Self: "This is Clemson we're talking about."

Bald self: "Good point."

C.J. Spiller almost had me convinced this summer. But I ain't buying it. New prediction: Alabama 24, Clemson 20

4. Upsets? We don't need no stinking upsets
You've heard them all. You know, the vacant talking heads who claim defending national champion LSU is in for a knock-down, drag-out real SEC game Saturday against Division I-AA defending national champion Appalachian State.

This is society in a nutshell, everyone: reacting, followed quickly by overreacting, followed closely behind by imploding things out of proportion. Time for a brief moment of reality: LSU has the best interior lines in the nation. LSU's set of skill players is among the top five in the nation. LSU's defense is wicked nasty.

The Tigers will chew up App State and spit them back into I-AA irrelevance. And the Mountaineers will promptly win another national title.

5. He just looks fast
OK, either everyone is really, really slow. Or Jeremy Maclin is really, really sick. Pay particular interest to the clip at the 1:20 mark. Those guys in Orange jerseys who look like they're standing still? Expect to see a lot of that Saturday in St. Louis. If you know what I mean.

6. Ball security
This whole deal with Percy Harvin's heel? Forget it.

As good as Harvin is — and he's really good — Florida still has speedy threats Louis Murphy, Chris Rainey, Deonte Thompson, Riley Cooper, etc.

Now, if one of those tailbacks — specifically Kestahn Moore or Emmanuel Moody — fumbles against Hawaii, there may not be enough assistant coaches on the sidelines to keep Gators coach Urban Meyer from coming unhinged.

In fact, some free advice for Moore and Moody: If you fumble, keep running through the tunnel and out the stadium.

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Get ready for mass exodus Trash Talk: SEC not all it’s cracked up to be Predictions 101: Ohio State to roll, N.D. to win squeaker Opinion: 10 bowl matchups that would be a treat Bowl Projections: Big Ten blows BCS spot CFT: ‘By the numbers’ — McCoy goes for record From Big 12 snub to possible BCS for TCU SEC's season one of contenders and complaints   Vote: Which is the best conference? Iowa-Ohio St. in-depth video preview, analysis College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: