Wait no longer - College Football is here!

Yes, despite the calendar still saying August, fall is officially here today, errrrrr, tonight when 14 college football games kick off.

1. Northeastern at Ball State - Ball State's junior QB Nate Davis threw 30 TDs and only 6 picks last season, in addition to 3,667 yards.

2. UTEP at Buffalo - We grew up in Buffalo.

3. Eastern Illinois at Central Michigan - Don't knock the MAC. It's good football.

4. Indiana State at Eastern Michigan - Um...Larry Bird went to Indiana State.

5. Hofstra at UCan't UConn - If UConn can do it, why can't (or is it why doesn't) UMass?!?

6. Jacksonville at Georgia Tech - Tech is always tough on D.

7. Vanderbilt at Miami (Ohio) - UConn's top receiver, Terence Jeffers, transferred to Vanderbilt over the summer. Our only question is...wait for it...why?!?

8. Eastern Kentucky at Cincinnati - We have never eaten mutton.

9. Charleston Southern at Miami (FL) - The U is still not back and won't be at any time this season.

10. Troy at Middle Tennessee - Former OU bad boy recruit Josh Jarboe has moved on to Troy.

11. South Dakota State at Iowa State - We always liked former ISU coach Dan McCarney.

12. NC State at South Carolina - By far the most attractive game tonight (which is, obviously, why it's on ESPN). We love The Head Ball Coach. And for those who consider his college comeback a disappointment, check this out: if you put his Cocks in the ACC, they would win the league going away. (Going Away!)

13. Wake Forest at Baylor - And that's why Wake is actually in the top 25. Because the conference blows!

14. Oregon State at Stanford - Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh talks trash. Ever see an NFL coach do that?!?

***Two non-college football quick hitters***

Jay Mariotti - Rumors persist that former Chicago Sun Times columnist Jay Mariotti is Boston bound. Now, the rumor has made it into print. Chicago Tribune sports media columnist Phil Rosenthal floated this nugget in the final paragraph of his piece about Mariotti leaving: "One rumor on which Mariotti would not comment had him bound for Boston and an array of multimedia opportunities. How he would find flaws in a city with defending champs in basketball and baseball is anyone's guess."

Wow. Now the guess is where he could land in Boston. He is on record as saying newspapers are near extinction -- which, one would think, eliminates the Boston Globe (which has cut costs and is now down to two columnists -- Bob Ryan and Dan Shaughnessy). The Globe's web site, boston.com, spent big bucks to bring Tony Massarotti over from the Boston Herald (for reasons completely unknown to us, by the way). WEEI has no radio slots open. Its revamped web site, which is now spectacular, already spent big bucks bringing in some big names.

Still, Mariotti's name and personality are huge, thanks to his time on ESPN's Around the Horn. If he wants to come to Boston, someone will shell out the bucks and make room for him.

Phillies - Mets Well, the The Sons of Uncle Charlie (© Dan Shaughnessy) spent one day back in first place before surrendering it back to the Mets last night. The reason? Because Rudy Seanez is, well, Rudy Seanez. Now it's on to Chicago (in a great match-up between Cole Hamels and Ryan Dempster), while the Mets are off tonight before playing the Marlins over the weekend.