While many sites try to dazzle you with logic, savvy picks, interesting trends, and other useful data, sometimes it’s better to decide winners the ol’ fashion way. Well, not old fashion but more nerdy/lazy. I’m talking of course about deciding games using our favorite game NCAA 11.

Using a video game to pick winners might seem childish and sophomoric. I wish there was a “but” there but really I have none, so I’m just going to go ahead and do it anyways.

Below are the week’s top 5 games and how each played out in some NCAA 11 simulation. For those of you who like to make things “interesting” we’ve got you covered as well. I’ve also included some notable games and performances worthy of a mention.

And away we go…

5. Washington at BYU (-3)

Final Score: Washington 38, BYU 7

No contest here. Jake Locker lives up to God-like hype and throws for 975 yards. Actually, he threw for 368 and 3 touchdowns, but you get the point.

BYU quarterbacks on the other hand, and I cannot stress the plural in that enough because three of them played, end up 14-36 for 140 yards and a garbage time touchdown.

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are beaming with excitement reading this right now, grading Locker’s virtual cannon and pixelized mobility…

4. Oregon State at TCU (-13.5)

Final Score: TCU 37, Oregon State 23

Although college football’s finest redhead played pretty poorly in the Horned Frog’s bowl game against Boise State, he bounces back well here, my friends. Andy Dalton’s game-1 numbers: 23-30, 326 yards, 3 touchdowns.

TCU goes up an early 28-0 but the Beavers make the gamblers sweat with a late comeback.

In the end TCU just barely beats the spread and conquers by 14. Nothing like getting that 1/2-point win in week 1. Oh NCAA 11, you never cease to amaze me.

3. Pitt at Utah (-3)

Final Score: Utah 25, Pitt 22 (OT)

Our lone overtime game in the top five is an instant classic, and as much as Pittsburgh’s placekicker tried (5-6 in FGs), Utah wins in an OT battle. Panther’s RB Dion Lewis goes for 121, but averages under 4 yards per carry.

Utah’s sophomore QB Jordan Wynn follows up his strong Poinsettia Bowl with a solid first game. 22-39, 221 yards, 2 touchdowns. No word on whether Jabaal Sheard threw someone through a virtual window, but he did play week 1 just like real life.

Vegas and NCAA 11 have obviously planned this, however. Advantage: PUSH

2. UNC vs. LSU (-1) vs. *Game played in Atlanta

Final Score: LSU 16, UNC 12

The betting line is still up in the air but the show must go on. This game plays out like many believe it will, meaning it lacks style points. Like, really, really lacks it.

UNC QB T.J. Yates struggles badly going 18-34 and adds a pick. Running back Ryan Houston doesn’t do much better getting only 61 yards on 32 carries. OUCH. No touchdowns for the Tar Heels, just a FG each quarter.

LSU’s field general Jordan Jefferson throws up a stinker as well, going 12-33. The Tigers junior RB Stevan Ridley scores the only touchdown of the day as LSU covers.

WARNING: sanctions could drastically impact line/results etc.

1. Virginia Tech vs. Boise State (-3) *Game Played in Maryland

Final Score: Boise State 20, Virginia Tech 17

The game of the week and one of the games of the year is decided by 3 points. Sorry Boise haters, it’s lookin’ like a national title run for the Broncos. Awwww man………

Boise State QB Kellen Moore goes for 191 and a touchdown. He also leads the Broncos on a game-winning drive with only 2 minutes remaining. #money

VT’s Tyrod Taylor ends up 15-26 with a pick and Ryan Williams is unable to break a big one, finishing up with 82 yards on 24 carries.

And again, NCAA 11 is SPOT ON with the Vegas line and we have our second push in the top 5 games. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. Well, actually you can but we have the photos to prove it.

Here are a few of the other notable week 1 happenings.

Biggest blow out – Nebraska 63-0 over W. Kentucky

Upset Special – Wash St. 24, OK State 17

Rivalry game  – Kentucky beats Louisville 24-21

Player of the Week- Ryan Mallett, boys and girls.

Other Notable Scores

USC 48, Hawaii 13- Kiffin makin’ headlines

Michigan 43, UCONN 10 – Rich Rod fans, rejoice!

Missouri 32, Illinois 3- Ron Zook is in deep #$%^

Cincinnati 34, Fresno 24 – Who needs BK?

God bless NCAA 11 and God bless college football. Week 1 is almost here…

The man who called us internet folk “scumbags” less than a week ago is concerned about his assistant coaches’ stress levels. While we could stop the blog right there, we must go on.

Urban Meyer resigned then quickly unresigned citing health concerns brought on mainly by high stress. He took some time off, avoided hittin’ the recruiting road, traveled the world, and hopefully found his inner Zen.

This health scare has prompted Meyer to get his assistant coaches the works when it comes to checking their overall health.

Meyer forced his crew to take “executive physicals” which included: blood panels, stress tests and full physicals just like you and I get each and every year. cough, cough, gentlemen

Although I can’t imagine that working under Urban would be anything but stress free, his coaches now have each had their hoods popped opened and examined to see if they are fit (literally) to work under Meyer.

I’d never had one like that before,” co-defensive coordinator Chuck Heater said Tuesday at Florida’s annual media day. We can assume this involved a cardboard cutout of Les Miles, an actual diorama of Ryan Mallett’s shoulder, and a do’s and don’ts picture book written by Carlos Dunlap.

“I made our staff; it’s nonnegotiable,” Meyer said. ”We’re going to take this day and we’re going to take care of some business here.”

Doesn’t that sound nice, gang? A MANDATORY stress test and physical to see if you are able to perform at your current level under one of the most demanding personalities in the country? Urban Meyer: one of few people that can make a run-of-the-mill physical centered around diagnosing stress, stressful.

Instead of getting physicals, perhaps the Gators should focus on better ways to deal with the everyday issues of being a football coach at one of the nation’s top school.

Instead of “getting physicals” (notice the “s”) perhaps Urban and his crew should “Get Physical!”

(Lights dim, Urban walks out with a microphone wearing his finest hipster wear, the following ensues)

The Florida Gators were flagged on Monday for recruiting violations via Facebook. That’s right; the world’s largest social network has now become an accomplice for shady contacting tactics. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Facebook play a role in somewhat substantial college football happenings, nor will it be the last.

Back in February of this year, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly dismissed wide receiver Jamere Holland from the team for some insanely vulgar comments he made on his Facebook Page. These comments, which you can try and piece together here, were critical of some of the disciplinary moves Kelly had made at Oregon.

Flash forward one day later, Holland was gone. Flash forward months later and Chip Kelly has had to deal with much more of this tomfoolery, but I digress.

Facebook, Twitter, and the quickening ways to communicate and connect have changed the face of college football and sports as a whole. In the situations listed above, both parties went above and beyond what they were allowed and/or supposed to do and it cost them dearly – Holland obviously more than the Gators.

The fact that players are able to build a fan base through these outlets is a scary thought. In many instances, the online world isn’t ready for what these sudden campus superstars have to say. Yet, an 18-year-old has now become a source, and their thoughts are a part of many people’s daily routine. Guilty as charged. Even scarier is that these players can now market themselves before they ever visit a college campus.

Coaches and recruiters are also learning how to toe the line using 2.0 methods, and Florida is one of the first but certainly not the last to get caught. With these new methods come rules. For instance, coaches and recruiters are allowed to contact players via email and/or direct message, but Facebook Wall posting is not allowed.

Going forward, will social media become an integral piece of the recruiting process in the future, or will a few more Gator-type situations put an end to the experiment? Will the players be able to control the freedom or will the anti-social media sentiment that has become loud roars in pro sports trickle down to the college level?

Recruiting violations and reckless tweeting certainly warrant separate arenas of discussion, but both will be monitored closely in the future.

It should be fascinating to watch, and I’m anxious to see how the NCAA handles certain situations. I feel that the NCAA is more reactionary that revolutionary when it comes to rules, changes, etc – but I also get the feeling that they understand the importance of keeping the integrity and images of the players and coaches intact.

In the end, however, a few bad situations may damper the impact that social media has on the game sooner rather than later. I hope I’m wrong, but it’s safe to say that a some bad PR driven by more rule bending or some late-night Tweeting might have the final say on where we go from here.