When a player begins to transcend what seems humanly possible on the football field, he has usually given us some warning.  Vince Young had many wonderful moments (just ask Michigan and Oklahoma State) in the previous calendar year before his historic performance against USC.  Desmond Howard was a preseason All American and a Heisman candidate before he struck “the pose“.  Tim Tebow was a backup quarterback on a Florida championship team that owned the Red Zone before he became Tim Tebow.  Greatness reveals itself to us, but sometimes we caught a glimpse and just didn’t realize it yet.

Much has been written about last weekend’s performance by West Virginia’s Gino Smith.  He was listed as a preseason all Big XII candidate and provided many highlights last year against Big East competition.  But that was against the Big East, we all thought.  Can he do it week in, week out against the Oklahomas, Kansas States and Texases?  Can he lead West Virginia to enough points to outscore the Oklahoma States and Baylors?  Can he prove it against tougher competition?  Can he do it on the big stage?  In his first Big XII game last week, the answer was an unquestionable “yes he can”.

On the season, Gino Smith has 20 touchdown passes.  On the season, Gino Smith has 28 incompletions.  On the season, he has 1827 yards of offense (thats 457 yards per game).  On the season, he has a 208.4 quarterback rating, which is 16.6 points higher than the single season record.  On the season, Gino Smith has put up numbers most people dream about putting up in football video games.  Gino Smith has simply been amazing.

On Saturday night Gino Smith leads West Virginia to Austin to face the undefeated University of Texas.  This is the first time these two programs have faced each other as conference rivals and only the second time they’ve faced each other ever.  UT’s quarterback is currently the #2 ranked quarterback in the NCAA (behind Smith, of course) and their defense is filled with future NFL players.  Can Smith keep up his run on the road, at night, against this talented a team?  I don’t know, but I do know that Gino Smith has become must see tv and I know that this is my game of the week.

Other Games I’ll be Watching:

LSU at Florida:  LSU has struggled the last two weeks and Florida was supposed to be a year away from contending.  The game will go a long way in determining which team is for real.

Oklahoma at Texas Tech:  Oklahoma has had a tough time in Lubbock recently and is coming off a home loss to Kansas State.  Are the undefeated Red Raiders ready to rejoin the Big XII’s elite?

Georgia at South Carolina: Another week, another game with undefeated top 10 ranked SEC teams.

Miami at Notre Dame: I just like that it’s reminded me of my favorite unlicensed college t-shirt of all time.

Washington at Oregon:  Oregon is just fun to watch. And Washington seems to have been resurrected under former USC coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

*All opinions are from Dustin and not from Gameday Cloth.  He may be a genius, he may be an idiot, but either way, he’s responsible for this blogpost.

This week will be a little history lesson for some because the teams I’ll be featuring haven’t had the national success recently that they had in years past.  And, granted, I’m elevating this game because of where I live and where I went to school, but also because these are the types of games that folks really care about.  Michigan versus Notre Dame was big last week, but only because those teams are storied programs.  If the rivalry was so significant, why was it canceled yesterday?  I loved the Auburn versus LSU game, but ESPN tells me that ever SEC game ever is the most monumental clash in the history of the universe with teams hand picked by God himself, so why would any single one game stick out?

SMU beat TCU in their last meeting

I’m talking about rivalry games.  Honest to goodness, “we can’t stand you because you went to that other place” rivalry games.  Games that silly trophies like the a bronze pig or a milk can the are handed out.  Games with names like “Clean, Old Fashioned Hate” and simply the “Big Game“.  These are games that make grown men cry and can determine if the head football coach has a job the following year.  How many times has it been said “we can go 1-10, as long as that one is against [insert rival team here]“?  I also love that rivalries can be based on so many factors: history between the schools, religious differences, perceived slights and, in one case, an actual war.

SMU and TCU encompass almost all of these characteristics.  They are in close geographic proximity (about 40 miles from campus to campus). They have played almost every year since 1915.  The matchup is competitive (TCU has 44 wins, SMU has 40 and there have been 7 ties).  Both student populations feel somewhat superior to the other (purple is ugly and frogs are stupid while mustangs are majestic).  Even the cities, Dallas and Fort Worth have some animosity.

SMU and TCU were both members of the Southwest Conference from 1923 until its demise in 1996.  Then they both joined the Western Athletic Conference.  TCU left the WAC for Conference USA 2001, then left C-USA for the Mountain West Conference in 2005.  They declared their intention to leave the MWC for the Big East after the 2011 season, but changed their mind and left for the Big XII instead.  SMU had almost the same amount of conference jumping, leaving the WAC four years after the Horned Frogs for Conference USA in 2005. SMU now plans on leaving Conference USA next year to join the Big East.  Despite all of the movement, both teams plan on continuing the rivalry.

Why should people outside of the metroplex care?  Because both programs have significant history.  SMU claims three national championships, which is one more than A&M had until recently.  SMU has five NFL Hall of Famers, perhaps the greatest college running back ever, was the first major team in the South to have an African-American scholarship player and has 10 current NFL players.  They also were the only team in major college sports to get the Death Penalty.  TCU claims two national championships (also more than Texas A&M had on August 1st, I kid, I kid). TCU has two (about to be three) NFL Hall of Famers, one of the greatest college quarterbacks ever and 18 current NFL players.  TCU also has seen a revitalization of their team on a national level with four top 10 finishes and two BCS bowl appearances since 2005.

These are the games that bring communities together.  These are the games that bring office bragging rights for the following 364 days.  These are the games that involve silly bets with family members or, at worse, silence for a few days after it’s over.  These are the games that matter more because it isn’t for a title or championship.  These are games that are must wins.  This is the game for the Iron Skillet.  And this is the Game of the Week.

Other Games I’ll Be Watching:

Baylor at West Virginia: West Virginia will host a tough, high scoring Baylor team in the Mountaineers first ever Big XII conference game.

Wisconsin at Nebraska: Both teams started the season with high expectations, but after unexpected losses, they are still primed to make a run at the Big 10 title.

Oregon at Washington State: Mike Leach is awesome.  Even so, he has to look at this Oregon team and think wistfully about what he had at Texas Tech and what he’s trying to build at Wazzou.

Arkansas at Texas A&M:  Arkansas has had a rough season so far losing to Louisiana-Monroe, Alabama and Rutgers, but they’ve owned the Aggies in their last several matchups.  Will A&M get their first ever SEC win?

Texas Tech at Iowa State: A matchup of two undefeated Big XII teams. Are either one for real?

* These opinions belong to Dustin and do not reflect the opinions of Gameday Cloth. Gameday Cloth is neutral.  Go sports.

When I first stepped foot on SMU’s campus, I immediately fell in love.  Sure, there were many beautiful coeds walking around, but the first thing I saw, my lasting memory, was driving up Bishop Boulevard (now known as just The Boulevard).  I saw the beautiful buildings, the majestic trees and then the appearance of the fountain with Dallas Hall in the distance.  I knew then, this was where I was going to spend the next several years of my life (five and a half, as it turned out).

I grew up in College Station, Texas, home of Texas A&M.  College Station is so centered around A&M that you learn to embrace and love everything Aggieland has to offer from a young age, or reject it as hard as you can.  (I’m typing this blog wearing one of our new Texas Longhorn State t-shirts, so you can see which direction I chose)  College Station is so centered around A&M, that it was tough to get any real information about any other school unless the Aggies were playing them that week (this was pre-internet, kids).  All I knew about SMU is that they had a terrible football team and at some point they had been caught cheating and had that football team taken away from them for a while.  Literally that was it.  I thought the trip was a waste of time since my heart had already turned burnt orange.  I’m glad I changed my mind.

My freshman year we played football on campus in Ownby Stadium in the Southwest Conference (yes, I’m old).  Our team didn’t win much, but we were exciting.  We had a home game against a top 25 North Carolina team (coached by Mack Brown) and lost by less than a touchdown.  We played a road game against a top 10 UCLA team and lost by less than a touchdown.  We played Texas A&M in the Alamodome…probably my fondest SMU sports memory.  A&M was on probation and ineligible to play in the post season or win the SWC, but they were good and we were not.  But, we tied that Aggie team for their only blemish of the season (ten wins, no losses, one tie).  We ended the season with one win, nine losses and one tie.  It was a great ride back to Dallas.

After that season we suffered though several sub par seasons playing games in the Cotton Bowl in the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA.  We also cycled through several head coaches…Tom Rossley (who went on to have success with the Green Bay Packers), Phil Bennett (who went on to have success with Baylor), Mike Cavan (who had a really hot daughter).  There were moments where it seemed we were turning the corner, but they were few and far between.  We were crushing a Tulane team that would go undefeated, but they had a huge second half comeback.  We beat Arkansas twice in three years.  We were one win away from a possible Independence Bowl berth, but Dennis Franchione and LaDainian Tomlinson had something to say about that in Fort Worth.  The moments were there, but the consistency wasn’t.

Finally we brought football back on campus with Ford Field, our new stadium. Later we hired June Jones, one of a small handful of coaches to bring a non BCS team to a BCS bowl.  Those two events brought excitement back to the Hilltop.  These days, SMU is looking for our fourth straight bowl game and a Conference USA championship before we move to the Big East next year.  Our opponent this week, the Aggies of Texas A&M, also have some things to be excited about.  They are in their first season in the South Eastern Conference.  They have a new head coach.  And they have an exciting freshman quarterback known around College Station as Johnny Effing Football.  They also will be looking for redemption after blowing a double digit lead (a recent Aggie habit, a tradition perhaps?) against Florida last week. These former SWC members face off at 2:30 Saturday in my Game of the Week.

Other Games I’ll Be Watching:

The University of Texas at Ole Miss – Because I don’t have the Longhorn Network, this will be the first UT game I can watch (I’m kidding, but not really)

Alabama at Arkansas – Many pundits predicted in the preseason an Arkansas win.  Well, Alabama is ranked number one in the country and Arkansas lost last week to Lousiana-Monroe so…

USC at Stanford – Can small, private, intellectual Stanford stay successful after losing four high NFL draft choices?  Can USC regain the number one ranking they had preseason?

Utah State at Wisconsin, U of Lousiana-Lafayette at Oklahoma State – Wisconsin and Oklahoma State both suffered embarrassing losses last week.  They are both looking to rebound.

Notre Dame at Michigan State – I like Notre Dame and I respect Notre Dame.  I do.  I promise.  But there are some teams out there…it’s just fun when they lose.  I think this Notre Dame squad might be one of those teams.

* All of the above opinions are from Dustin. He’s just one guy.  They do not necessarily reflect the views of Gameday Cloth.  So, take it out on him, okay?

College Station is a really interesting place.  For an area with just under 200,000 permanent residents and the sixth largest university in the United State, it still is a place with small town ideals.  It’s seems to continue to grow at a rapid place, while locals reminisce about when town ended where Rock Prairie Road now stands or how, if you bought a Blizzard at Dairy Queen, it came with two free tickets to that week’s Aggie game.  And yet, College Station still wants to be known as a glitzy, metropolitan place.  Every visit, I’m startled by the growth of the city and how the cultural landscape has changed (The Republic and Veritas, you both have a lot to do with that).  In a round about way, this duality is mirrored by Texas A&M’s relationship with the University of Texas.

At the beginning of the 4th quarter of Aggie home game, the Aggie War Hymn is played, with the students swaying along and signing lyrics directly aimed at their rivals in Austin.  This is one a many, many traditions Aggies everywhere know by heart.  This song, along with others and several cheers, occur at every game and every yell practice regardless of the opponent.  And yet, the rivalry doesn’t define Aggie Athletics according to every Aggie ever. My Aggie friends will dismiss any talk of the rivalry pre-Jackie Sherrill as “ancient history” and explain how Reggie McNeal may still be better than Vince Young and how “the Hit” redefined pain on a football field.  Then in the next breath, they will tell stories about the 1939 national championship season, sing the praises of John David Crow and remind you that they had Bear Bryant before Alabama did.  A&M has seemed to always want their cake and to eat it too, as the expression goes. They focused so much attention on the longhorns, constantly denying that there was any inferiority complex but would be quick to point out victory over the burnt orange, no matter what the sport. (On more than one occasion, an Aggie relative has made it a point to regale me with the triumphs of the Aggie equestrian or archery teams while dismissing a UT football victory.  Archery and equestrian sports are awesome, but not exactly on my Tivo).

Now a new chapter of Aggie athletics is beginning.  I’m not referring to the new starting quarterback, or the new starting running back, the new head coach (the fourth coach this century) or even the new spread offense he brings with him.  I’m talking about their conference, the South Eastern Conference.  The SEC has won the last six national championships…not exactly welcoming to a team that’s rebuilding.  The Aggies should have played a warmup game last week against Louisiana Tech, but Hurricane Isaac postponed that game until October.  So, this Saturday, A&M is hosting the Florida Gators in their season, home and SEC opener.  The Gators are led by former UT defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.  This is his second season at the helm as he tries to bring Florida back to the elite (two of those six straight SEC national championships).  It’s probably going to come down to Florida and Georgia for a spot in the SEC championship game, so they need to get off to a good start.  For A&M, this is their first SEC game, a conference they plan on being in for a loooooooong time.  ESPN’s College Gameday is going to be there and you only get one chance to win your first game.  I know I’ll be glued to the tv on Saturday.

Other Games I’ll Be Watching:

Miami at Kansas State – K State is a dark horse Big XII contender and Miami is trying to regain their swagger, should be fun

Nebraska at UCLA – Another early non conference game featuring “name” programs

Georgia at Missouri – The other SEC East favorite visiting the other SEC newcomer

* All of the above opinions are from Dustin and do not necessarily reflect the views of Gameday Cloth

SMU football is on the rise. Whether you like the Mustangs or not, you should take notice of the energy building around the team. They’re 7-5 in the regular season two years in a row following a 2008, 1-11 record, with a 6-2 in-conference record this past season. They’ve been invited to two bowl games in a row after a 25 year drought. Scout.com ranked the Mustangs incoming class at No.1 among all non-BCS AQ schools. And Rivals.com ranked SMU’s recruiting class no. 50 overall. This is the highest ranked class for SMU in three decades.

Following a Young Alumni breakfast at the Crescent Club last week, I have no doubt the reason behind all this success and excitement is Coach June Jones. To say Coach Jones is humble is an understatement. He lives his life by faith and constantly strives to better the lives of those around him. He acts as mentor and coach to his team, earning their respect through giving it. And over coffee first thing in the morning, he shared with us his principles for his team, and his life.

I didn’t find him the most eloquent speaker, but rather one of the most inspiring. Whether you’re a Mustang fan, a football fan or even a sports fan, I hope you’ll gain as much from his points as I did.

- There is no complaining and no whining. The team knows that they’re there to work hard and that it is, in fact, hard work. But everyone is working hard at something and the ones that make it to the top do so without complaining. Be positive. There will be no lying, no cheating and no stealing – not on his team – which in and of itself is an accomplishment in this day and age of college football players arrests and shenanigans.

- You must be willing to be your best self. Live at the highest level of your values. Live with honor and integrity.

- Help others. You must have a willingness to see the world beyond yourself.

- Every day should be a masterpiece and truly be your best day. You will never get these moments back, so live them magnificently. (This one truly spoke to me. As a small business owner, I can get bogged down in stress and daily details. But how could I dream of letting myself miss these moments? Or not fully live them as the masterpiece that they are?)

- Read. Drink deeply from words, all words. But especially read from the Bible daily.

- Make friendship an art. Become close to a circle of friends. You’ll need those friends more than you know at some point in your life and simultaneously, you’ll be the friend someone needs, even if you never truly realize it. In the valley’s of life, you will need the shelter and protection of friends. When you make friendship an art, it benefits everything: that person and yourself.

- Pray for guidance every day. This may seem simple or less important, but he shared his faith – a strong faith. Through prayer every day he’s thanked God for his blessings and sought guidance in his valley’s.

Coach Jones is a truly spiritual man. He is a truly inspirational man. His players look up to him and he loves them. That relationship has created the success the team has on and off the field, which has in turn created success within the University and spread to the Alumni. SMU is in the 2nd largest turn-around in college football history, with Hawaii under Coach Jones the number one turn-around.

He encouraged us to live by the principles he gives his players. Play the game at the highest level. Be the best you can be. Be consistent in your life. If you repeat these behaviors and daily live by these principles, it will become an unconscious competence. You will be your most successful self unconsciously.

He closed with a quote he recited from memory:

“We must manage our behavior to meet the objective. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act it is a habit.” – Aristotle