Bowden’s loss so ugly, Rodriguez and Wannstedt look (almost) good
How bad was it? Let’s just say Tommy Bowden wishes he were Rich Rodriguez or Dave Wannstedt right now.
How bad was it? T.B. practically blew off the ESPN sideline reporter as he came off the field muttering something about getting blown out on both sides of the line.
Tell us something we don’t know, Tommy. Zero yards rushing. Zero against what is projected to be a middle-of-the-road team in the SEC West. Alabama is suddenly thinking bigger after a 34-10 victory in Atlanta. That or it was further validation that Vanderbilt could probably make a run to the conference title game in the ACC.
Poor Tommy. It’s easy to root for him. He is a younger, drier-wit version of his dad, without the national championships. Likeable enough. Then his team goes and hides in its room — its room being the Georgia Dome before 70,000 fans.
How bad was it at what were arguably the three most disappointed BCS programs on Saturday?
Bad: Michigan loses the Rich Rodriguez debut, its second consecutive home-opener downer by the eerily same two-point margin as Appalachian State. But it’s way early and at least an argument can be made for progress compared to this point a year ago. Utah is a I-A program.
Worse: There is seemingly always at least one MAC shocker. Pittsburgh is this year’s first victim. After an offseason spent on posters, promotion and primping for the cameras, the Panthers lose … at home … by 10 … to Bowling Green.
“Unless you study the game you don’t understand the implications of a win like that,” Falcons coach Gregg Brandon said. “We’re not supposed to beat these people.”
sportsline.com
8/31/08
