Are you Ready?

College football underway on this Thursday evening. I think the best game of the night is Wake Forest at Baylor, and they'll start in a few minutes. But right now Vanderbilt and Miami (Oh) have kicked it off over on ESPNU. The Commodores just drove to take the lead 7-3.

I love college football. Obviously, I'm a big fan of the Orange. And I'm still willing to admit it. And on this Thursday night, I hold out that the Orange finds a way to win six games this year. Not sure it really can happen, but I'm a fan, so I'm willing to hope and see if we can't turn this around.

But when I'm watching college football this year, I'll be telling you what I'm thinking. Call me crazy, but I think I can watch 100 games this year. So we start with a live blog from Waco (or really my living room) and the Deacons and Bears in the matchup between Wake Forest and Baylor.

8:06PM - Still waiting for Baylor and Wake to kick. NC State in South Carolina territory after an interception. But the Gamecocks have held for now.

8:08PM - I really think that South Carolina is one of the most overrated teams entering the season. After a disappointing season last year, they are somehow a Top 25 team in a lot of people's minds this year. Just doesn't make sense yet. NC State did go for it on fourth down as I thought they might, but didn't get. So USC gets the ball back. But I'm back to the Baylor/Wake game.

8:10PM - How bout that, Baylor has never lost to Wake Forest. That may change. Kirby Freeman transfer from Miami going to start for Baylor and new head coach Art Briles under center.

8:14PM - No luck for Freeman and the Bears on their first possession. A quick short completion and then two incompletions - plus a shanked punt. Wake is in good shape here.

8:17PM - Wake ends up getting a field goal out of that - after picking up one first down. Nothing really impressive but the Deacs will certainly take the three points.

8:22PM - Another three and out for Baylor. Not many open receivers for Freeman as they try to establish Art Briles spread offense. Speaking of spread offense, we're calling whatever Syracuse runs this year, the Syracuse Spread. We have a feeling that it might have some real serious spread looks embedded in what the Orange is doing. Many people think the spread must involve a running quarterback. That isn't the case, and I believe that Syracuse is going to try to spread the field and establish the run and short passing game that way.

8:27PM - I'm trying to figure out why there is a flag next to Baylor's name on the FSN scoreboard. If you know why, let me know.

8:33PM - I don't like instant replay. But I thought they should have at least taken another look at that Demon Deacon touchdown. Riley Skinner just engineered a nice scoring drive for the Deacs and this game is getting very close to being over. It's still early, but Baylor hasn't shown much of a way to attack the good Wake Forest defense, and Skinner was very precise on that drive and he had open receivers to play pitch and catch with.

8:41PM - Baylor got its first first down, but then committed its first turnover as Freeman was picked off. Wake Forest now has the ball back in Baylor territory. A big third down connection from Skinner to Marshall Williams (who now has at least 3 catches) has given the Deacs a first down and kept the drive alive.

8:48PM - The first quater has ended, Wake is in on the march. I'm even more convinced right now that Jim Grobe is one of the, if not the top coach in the country. Let's be honest, Baylor was one of the worst teams in the country last year, but Wake has gone on the road, and put a hurtin on them early. This looks like a team that could contend in the ACC again this year. But its going to take some time for Art Briles to turn it around.

8:52PM - There's the touchdown for Wake, and they take a 17-0 lead with the conversion. Another strong drive and Pendergrass finishes it with a short drive. Riley Skinner continues to impress as the quarterback. As a third-year starter you'd expect that, and he's proving my belief that quarterbacks with experience are a key to success in college football.