A Week 1 Upset leads to a Monster Week 2 for RUTS

What a way to start the season. After season 4, arguably the most competitive RUTS season in history, many wondered how season 5 could ever match the intensity. Enter Coach stinvol and the surging Miami Hurricanes.

The Canes went into Tuscaloosa and went toe to toe with Coach StuBucksman's top-ranked Alabama team, and at the end came away with a huge 21-14 upset victory. The Canes held Alabama scoreless in the second half and managed to win while throwing 3 INTs and rushing for only 34 yards. Miami's defense though, came up big all night, limiting the Tide to only a 40% third down conversion percentage. With the win, Alabama takes an early season tumble, and the Hurricanes move onto another big game this week against #5 Florida in Miami. The winner of that game could be well on its way to becoming an early National title contender and favorite.

Week 2 is headlined by two blockbuster games. The nation's new #1 team, Ohio State, fresh off a 35-10 victory at Tennessee, hosts #4 LSU, who drubbed the Texas Longhorns in week 1. These two teams are almost identical in nature...physical up front, with speedy, veteran QBs. Each team has an elite WR, a TE capable of making big plays, and a fast, physical defense which limits an offense's ability to have long sustaining drives.

LSU and OSU are always at the top of the Rivals recruiting rankings, and their rosters certainly show that. However, neither Coach cjohnchavis or UTVOL54 has one a RUTS3 National Championship, each having lost 1 National Title game (in seasons 4 and 1 respectively), and neither can seem to find the right kind of voodoo magic to defeat Coach utvl27's Oklahoma Sooners. They have not met on the gridiron since their epic battle in season 3, when #1 LSU defeated #4 Ohio State 27-24 in Baton Rouge in one of the best games of the season. Is it just coincidence that this time, the rankings are reversed for tonight's game in Columbus?

We predict this game to be a low scoring affair with a few big plays on offense and a timely (or untimely, depending on who you're rooting for) turnover or two to decide the outcome. LSU is going to try to run the football and control the clock, shortening the game and forcing OSU to feel like it must score on every possession. The Tigers' ground game is bruising, and when Coach cjohnchavis mixes in a little Erik O'Neal into his arsenal, it's enough to keep the Bucks defense guessing all night. The junior TE will be a big key in this game.

Ohio State's ground game has a new star in junior tailback Cyrus Jones. Jones burst onto the scene last week in Knoxville to the tune of 174 yards and 3 TDs. A similar effort tonight would go a long way in giving the Bucks a 2-0 start to the season.

One drama-filled side note to watch in this game is seeing how Ohio State senior punter/kicker Ben Buchanan handles the pressure. Back in season 3, before the Buckeyes trip to Baton Rouge, Buchanan guaranteed a victory for OSU  , firing up the Tigers and their coach. When the Buckeyes kicker was asked this week about those comments 2 seasons ago, all he said was that "LSU is about to get...ThunderBUCKED!" (in his best AC/DC 'Thunderstruck voice).

This game really is too close to call. Vegas odds list Ohio State as a 2.5 point favorite, but no one knows what will happen tonight!

In week 2's other big games, the #3 Oklahoma Sooners take on the #8 North Carolina Tarheels. This game is being played in Norman, Oklahoma and the Sooners enter as a 9 point favorite. The Tarheels defense is sneaky good, having done a good job against good rushing teams. The question is, will UNC be starstruck to be on the same field as Oklahoma freshman RB Cowboy Kyle Ryan?! Ryan, the top high school recruit out of NC last season chose the Sooners over the Tarheels in an epic recruiting battle. Coach chrishicks21's late push to get Ryan fell short, even after the Coach vowed to incorporate a Horse hoof in the Tarheels "foot" logo to replace the current logo. We predict Oklahoma to use the home crowd, Kyle Ryan's southern charm, and a heavy dose of QB Wes Mantooth's gun slinging to defeat the Heels.

Rounding out this week's big games is #5 Florida traveling to Miami to face the #6 Hurricanes. Florida defeated Boise State 28-0 in week 1, and Miami, as stated earlier, upset the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide...setting us this big, in-state rivalry game. Both of these programs are on the brink of joining the elite national powers. Both have knocked up perennial RUTS powers recently, and the winner of this game sets itself up to have an undefeated record heading into its next big games in Week 6.

Miami's passing attack is dangerous, and with a fleet-footed QB under center, the Gators are going to have to be cognizant of where Stephen Morris is at all times. Florida lost star RB Mack Brown to the NFL Draft last season, but the Gators look to rely on a heavy dose of pound-the-rock-football again this season with RB Jay Scott. Scott had 125 rushing yards in week 1, and Coach Gump will rely on the RB to carry the load again this week. Gator QB Tyler Murphy is going to have to improve on his 2TD, 3INT performance from last week if the Gators hope to leave South Beach 2-0.

The winner of this game will have to be resourceful and and take care of the football. We think Miami has to tools and the talent to do it, and will ride the momentum of their week 1 victory over Alabama to knock off the Gators.

The Big XII, lately, has been riding high over the once dominant SEC! Will that continue this week in these three big showdowns?! It's gonna be a great week of RUTS action.