Week One is in the books, and already there is a likely shakeup in the national title race. Defending BCS champion LSU, playing at home and wearing their unlucky purple jerseys, had to come from behind in the last 90 seconds to defeat Oregon State, 22-21, in overtime, but only after the Beaver placekicker missed three extra points. The scrappy performance by OSU suddenly means that the conventional wisdom that USC could breeze through its conference schedule after it plays CAL later this month will have to be changed, as the Trojans must travel to Corvallis later this season. Speaking of the Bears, CAL struggled defensively in the first half, adjusted, and then easily put away Air Force, 56-14.
Elsewhere, perennial bottom-dwelling Rutgers, cheered on by Tony Soprano himself, dominated Michigan State, 19-14, and showed that it might make a serious run at the conference title in the weakened Big East. BYU proved the superiority of the LDS faith over that of the papacy, edging Notre Dame, 20-17. And freshman QB Chad Henne successfully debuted in Ann Arbor, helping Michigan pull away in the fourth quarter against Miami of Ohio, 43-10, breaking the nation's longest winning streak at fourteen.