Greetings from San Diego
Dick and I arrived earlier today in San Diego. The weather is the same as it usually is — perfect (70 degrees, sunny, with a slight breeze). We’re staying at the team hotel, working hard and filing stories (lest my editor and my wife think I’m actually hanging out at the beach, surfing with Bronco).
One player who didn’t make the trip to San Diego for tomorrow’s BYU-SDSU game is defensive lineman Russell Tialavea, who is from the San Diego area. After injuring his knee a few weeks ago, Tialavea was hoping he would be able to play in this “homecoming” game. He practiced yesterday for the first time, but, unfortunately, wasn’t cleared to play. I’m sure he’s disappointed. He said the other day a lot of friends and family would be at the game.
Running back Manase Tonga (knee) and Scott Johnson (ankle) made the trip but will be game-time decisions. Both are leaders to the offense and defense, respectively. If they can’t play, they will be missed, but it will give Bryan Kariya and Craig Bills a chance to get some more playing time.
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Despite its convincing win over UNLV on Saturday, BYU didn’t budge in the national rankings that came out Sunday. The Cougars remained at No. 18 in the Associated Press poll, leapfrogged by Nebraska. The Cornhuskers jumped from No. 21 to No. 15 after knocking off then-No. 24 Missouri on the road.
BYU tight end Andrew George said he doesn’t pay any attention to the national rankings.
“Personally, I don’t. They’re so arbitrary. Where do you rank people week to week with all of the losses that go on?” he said. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous to have rankings, especially early in the season just because you don’t really know where teams are, which teams are real contenders and which teams are pretenders.”
It hasn’t helped BYU’s cause that Oklahoma, which lost to the Cougars in the season-opener, fell to Miami a couple of weeks ago. And it hasn’t helped that the only team to beat BYU, Florida State, has a 2-3 record.
The Sooners have a chance to make a statement this weekend if they can upset No. 3 Texas.
Meanwhile, undefeated TCU dropped two spots from No. 10 to No. 12 after edging Air Force, 20-17, in Colorado Springs. Utah jumped back into the rankings at No. 24. BYU hosts TCU on Oct. 24 and entertains Utah on Nov. 28.
On Sunday, we’ll see the debut of the only ranking that really matters — the BCS standings. It will be interesting to see where TCU, BYU and Utah land in this first one of the season.