College Football Preview

With college football just around the corner, I thought it would be best to get the input of one of the most avid football fans I know. So here is what Todd Crabb has to say about the upcoming season, with a HD spin.
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Have you ever lost your cell phone for a day or two and invariably asked yourself the question, “How in the world did we live without one?” The second you realize it’s lost, you feel like you’ve been jettisoned back to the days when your only hope of contact with the outside world was Pony Express and/or smoke signals. One misplaced phone, and your world is turned upside down.

Sports in HD is in a similar realm. If, after soaking in all that HD has to offer, you suddenly find yourself watching a game at a friend’s house on an old TV, you swear it would be just as well if you were living in a log cabin plowing your own fields, a la Michael Landon. High definition sports really is that good, especially football.

The first time I was introduced to the world of sports and HD, I walked in to a football game at my friend’s apartment and without thinking, immediately said, “Holy cow, look at that grass!” That phrase, which my friends have yet to let me forget, will forever haunt me. Why the grass? Not really sure, but watching football just got immensely better now that every blade could be seen and counted.

So here we are, to the point where the time until kickoff of college football can be counted in hours and minutes. It’s pretty much impossible to contain the excitement at this point (JUST LOOK AT THAT GRASS!) and so with the killer combo of football and HD nigh upon us, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 things to look for in HD this college football season and…a few things that we could pass up seeing in that type of clarity.

BYU vs. Oklahoma – Sept 5
Unless you’ve had your head buried in the ground for the past month, you have heard all about the new stadium in Dallas where this game is set to be played. You’ve also probably heard all about the controversy with the high def video screen at the stadium, which is why this one tops our list. Think of it – seeing an HD screen on your HD TV…does that mean TWICE the definition? Also, the game happens to be two pretty good teams, you may have heard.

Texas Tech at Texas – Sept 19
This year’s game is highly unlikely to top the thrilling last second TD catch by Michael Crabtree, but hopefully we can get some good post game interviews with Mike Leach.

Florida at LSU – Oct 10
With as fast as Florida is on defense (returning all 11 starters from its national championship team), you’re gonna need a great contrast ratio or this one might be one big blur. With championship expectations set for the Gators, they still have to make their way through Death Valley which is never an easy task. If Florida slips at all, it more than likely could be this game.

Oklahoma vs. Texas – Oct 17
Never will the line between burnt orange and red be so visible as it will be this year, in part thanks to your HD TV and in part thanks to the fact that there will definitely be no mingling of fans this year. After beating Oklahoma last year, but still getting spurned when the title game rolled around, do you think Texas has this one marked on the calendar? And what about that little thing called the Heisman Trophy?

USC at Oregon – Oct 31
It never ceases to amaze me what unreal uniforms Oregon cranks out year after year, and while it’s up for debate whether or not we actually want to see the unis in high def or not, they nevertheless made the list. The state of Oregon wasn’t kind to the Trojans last year after Oregon State knocked off USC 27-21, and the Ducks wouldn’t mind giving USC a similar welcome this year.

Ohio State @ Penn State – Nov 7
If HD gives you deeper blacks and crisper whites, you might need sunglasses because this White Out in Happy Valley is gonna be shining like you’ve never seen. Penn State took last years game from the Bucks on the road in Columbus and punched their ticket to the Rose Bowl. Can they do it again, this time with the home crowd to back them? Plus, if they win, it will give Paterno his 3,923,482 career victory. Or something like that.

Uga – Any Georgia game
Really though, look at that cute face.

Navy at Notre Dame – Nov 7
The last thing Notre Dame needs is a bad home loss coupled with recent snowfall. But admit, how cool would this snowball fight look in HD?

Ohio State at Michigan – Nov 21
Odds of Michigan winning? About 1,000,000,000:1, but let me tell you, that grass at Michigan Stadium looks good in HD. In fact, it was a Michigan game that first prompted my grass reaction, so I found it fitting for inclusion on the list…definitely not because of the game potential.

LSU at Ole Miss – Nov 21
There’s never been this much excitement about Rebel football since long before HD rolled around, and with Jevan Snead at the helm, this one could have major SEC implications involved (regardless of what Steve Spurrier may say about you, Jevan). This game could get Les Miles barking a lot from the sidelines, which means in high definition, we may get a good look at his tonsils.

And, of course, a couple things we might not need HD for, but will get plenty of anyway.

Oregon at Boise State – Sept 3
Wow. That field.

The Emerald Bowl
Bowl season is a ways off, but we have this epic venue to look forward to.

Penn State’s own Joe Paterno
There’s nothing I love more than high def camera shots of a really old man…300 times during the course of one game. If anything, maybe HD will finally reveal – is he really alive?

Tags: College Football

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