Even though opponent was inferior and everyone expected a routine victory, 45-0 is still impressive. So was Jacory Harris' 210-yard, three-TD first half before sitting out the second half in a show of sportsmanship by coach Randy Shannon. Next: At Ohio State. Thursday got the season off to a great start. The next game could define the season.

Click The Return of J12 for my column off the game on Jacory Harris' reassuring performance.

Original post: Looking ahead is all the rage in South Florida as the 2010 college football season launches. I mean, c'mon! I figure Canes coast here, win by five touchdowns or so. FAMU would do well to keep the final margin around 20 points. Point is, this is for Miami the college version of a preseason game, a dressed-up tuneup for Sept. 11 at Ohio State. Sorry, Rattlers. Nothing personal. Love the band!.

Other Week 1 state-school FBS games:

FAU 32, Alabama-Birmingham 31: Huge stunner-win Thursday night for wise old King Owl Howard Schnellenberger, who is back hoping to make some noise in the Sun Belt. Opening road upset over Conference USA's UAB marks a nifty start fashioned on a blocked 28-yard field goal. Hoot hoot!

No. 4 Florida 34, Miami-Ohio 12: The Urbanators begin Life After Tim Tebow with a soft-opening Swamp date against a RedHawks squad they should have beaten by 40, and it was too close for too long. Call it a so-so debut for new QB John Brantley, and an indication Miami's Hurricanes look right now like the best team in the state, a title UF has owned for awhile.

No. 20 Florida 59, Samford 6: New coach Jimbo Fisher settles in as Noles begin Life After Bobby Bowden, the eased-out legend off the sidelines for the first time in 35 years. FSU cruised as it sould have over a minor opponent behind QB Christian Ponder. How sweet it would have been if Bowden's old school upset the school that let him go, but no such fairy tale.

Central Florida 38, South Dakota 7: UCF Knights easily controlled their Division 1AA foe and may have found a quarterback in Rob Calabrese.

South Florida 59, Stony Brook 14: Bulls take advantage of soft tuneup for next week's date with Gators.

Idle this week: FIU. The Mario (Cristobal) Brothers prep for a Sept. 11 opener vs. Rutgers. .

Week 1 national Top 25 matchups: No. 6 Texas Christian beats No. 24 Oregon, 30-21; No. 21 LSU beats No. 18 North Carolina, 30-24. Game of Week: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech, Monday 8 p.m.

COTE TOP 30

We started this last season and it returns, despite popular demand. Note: Our rankings are cumulative and give equal weight to each week of season. Our initial 2010 preseason rankings also list team's final '09 ranking:

Rank--'09  Team   Points

1--3     Alabama   90

2--6t    Ohio State   87

3--4     Boise State   82

4--1     FLORIDA   81

5--2     Texas   80

6--5     Texas Christian   73

7--19    Oklahoma   72

8--11    Virginia Tech   69

9t--24   Nebraska   65

9t--13   Iowa   65

11--14   Oregon   59

12--16   MIAMI   57

13--27   Wisconsin   56

14--18   Pittsburgh   49

15--12   Georgia Tech   44

16--53   Arkansas   40

17--9    Penn State   39

18--30   North Carolina   38

19--6t    Louisiana State   37

20--41   FLORIDA STATE   35

21--10   Southern Cal   33

22--38   Auburn   26

23--28   Georgia   25

24--26   Oregon State   24

25--29   West Virginia   18

26--8    Cincinnati   14

27--22   Utah   12

28--32   Stanford   10

29--21   Houston   6

30--36   South Carolina   5

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