No. 2 definitely doesn’t work for the Ohio State Buckeyes. They were the top-ranked team in college football from the preseason to the BCS title game, but they honked it big-time against the Florida Gators, losing 41-14 as 7-point favorites.

That loss will linger in the minds of the Buckeyes for some time. And it should; this year’s team needs the motivation. OSU figures to take a small step back after losing talented players like Heisman winner Troy Smith and stud receiver Ted Ginn.

It’s going to sting even more for the Buckeyes to see the hated Michigan Wolverines picked as one of the top contenders for this year’s championship. Michigan certainly won’t forget last year’s crushing 42-39 loss to Ohio State.

The Buckeyes still have Rose Bowl written all over them. To fulfill that destiny, the embarrassment of getting pasted by the Gators has to be converted to grim determination, not remorse.

NFL handicappers are paying close attention to the new head coaches on the block: seven last year, and another seven this year. Many have been asked to take over struggling programs. It’s a big challenge, but also one that comes with a certain honeymoon period.

Other newcomers, like Wade Phillips in Dallas, are being parachuted into teams that are on the cusp of greatness and are looking for a change in personality on the sidelines. There is pressure to perform, but the talent level is already in place.

The biggest challenge is for people like Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants to stay employed. Coughlin’s brusque style hasn’t won him many supporters, and he needs all the support he can get to deal with Eli Manning’s growing pains, Michael Strahan’s holdout/forced retirement, and all those injuries on both sides of the ball. But at least Coughlin isn’t coaching in Washington.

Now that Barry Bonds has broken Hank Aaron’s MLB record of 755 home runs, the last frontier is Sadaharu Oh’s world record of 868. However, Bonds suggested recently that he doesn’t foresee himself playing in 2008.

Then again, after he missed most of 2005, people wondered if Bonds would even catch Aaron. But he’s enjoyed a relatively healthy campaign, playing in 103 of San Francisco’s first 118 games (sometimes as a pinch hitter) and clubbing 24 home runs. At that rate, he would finish the year with 33 dingers.

The remainder of the season is bound to play out a little differently. The Giants have a lot of National League West matchups from here on in; the Padres have given up the fewest homers in the majors at 80, and the Dodgers are the fourth-stingiest team at 95. Without delving too deeply into park factors, let’s chalk up 30 home runs for Bonds in 2007.

It doesn’t get much better than being an NFL quarterback. But some teams have yet to choose their starters, and for those who fall down the depth chart, life isn’t nearly as sweet as it could have been.

Kansas City is witnessing a very interesting battle between Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle. Huard was outstanding last year (98.0 passer rating) in relief of Trent Green, earning himself a three-year, $7.5-million deal. But Huard is 34, and Croyle, who doesn’t have many weaknesses other than inexperience, is widely considered the Chiefs QB of the relatively near future.

Things are even more tangled up in Oakland. First overall pick JaMarcus Russell has yet to sign a contract, leaving Josh McCown as the starter. But recently added Daunte Culpepper has looked brilliant since joining the Raiders. Andrew Walter still has life pretty good, but I wonder if he’s a happy man these days.

The Bodog oddsmakers are having a hard time choosing between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs in the NL Pennant race.

Bodog has both the Mets and the Cubs listed as 5/2 favorites to capture the pennant, despite the fact that neither team is a lock to even make the playoffs. The Mets have a three-game lead on the Phillies in the NL East, but could get a boost with Pedro Martinez nearing a return. If Pedro can harness any of his old abilities it could give the Mets a winning rotation of Martinez, Tom Glavine, John Maine and Oliver Perez, especially with the Mets’ powerful offense backing them up.

The Cubs’ playoff chances took a huge hit when offensive catalyst Alfonso Soriano went down. If the Cubs can make a playoff run, their starters – led by ace Carlos Zambrano and followed by Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis – can match up with the Mets.

Every college football team has at least one fighting song. These songs have become as historic as the team’s playing history, and some have become recognizable to more people than just the alumni.

Here’s a quick list of the best from around the country.

“The Victors” is Michigan’s, dating back to 1898 when it was composed by UM student Louis Elbel.

The “MSU Fight Song” is Michigan State’s official fight song and was created in 1915 by cheerleader Francis Irving and lyricist Arthur Sayles.

The “Notre Dame Victory March” was written by brothers John and Michael Shea in 1908.

The University of Texas at Austin’s official song is “Texas Fight”, and it was written by Colonel Walter S. Hunnicutt and James E. King.

“Boomer Sooner”, the official song of the University of Oklahoma, was written by Arthur M. Alden in 1905. The tune was borrowed from the Yale’s “Boola Boola”.

There are two types of NASCAR fans out there: those who love Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and those who love Jeff Gordon. It’s very much a red state/blue state thing. Earnhardt is from North Carolina and represents racing tradition. Gordon was born in California.

Never underestimate the role that regional pride plays in sports. Gordon has been identified as an invader, a Madison Avenue darling and the scourge of the American heartland. Never mind that Gordon was raised in Indiana, and that Earnhardt is about as mass-marketed as a driver can be.

This rivalry isn’t what it was in the late 1990s, when Gordon was racking up Winston Cups and Earnhardt was still winning races. But Gordon is back on top of the drivers standings (Earnhardt is 14th, 100 points out of Chase position), and NASCAR craves national exposure. Maybe they can get Gordon back on Saturday Night Live. Those guys desperately need him, too.

If you’ve got a NCAA football rulebook from last season, you either need to throw it out and pick up a new guide or write in some changes.

College football went back in time to improve the game during the offseason. The NCAA officials decided to revert to old 2005 rules regarding a few time-clock stipulations. The first change made will see the clock stopped on possession changes, once again. Secondly, on kickoffs, the clock will not start until the receiving team has taken possession of the ball.

According to the NCAA, when these two rules were changed in 2005 it resulted in 14 fewer plays per game. This wasn’t taken to kindly by college football coaches who found it difficult to manage the clock late in games, especially when trailing. Another rule change brought in this season will see kickoffs made from the 30-yard line instead of the 35. This is expected to result in more returns, and hopefully more exciting special-teams plays.

The Dallas Cowboys had an unexpected chance this April to draft quarterback Brady Quinn with the No. 22 overall pick. They didn’t. But they also have yet to sign Tony Romo to an extension as he enters the final year of his two-year, $3.9-million contract. So is Romo the man or not?

It’s a risk either way for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. But the way Romo has performed so far under new head coach Wade Phillips and new offensive co-ordinator Jason Garrett, it looks like Jones will be happy with the way things turn out on the field.

Romo made the Pro Bowl last year, although he did fade in the second half. And there was that botched field-goal placement during the NFC Wild Card loss at Seattle. But this year’s offense is tailored more to Romo’s talents, and he won’t be holding, either – that’s Brad Johnson’s job.

It’s Romo time.

If USC really is as good as everyone is making them out to be this season, then QB John David Booty has to be the favorite to win the Heisman.

USC has been a veritable Heisman haven recently, with the award going to a Trojan in three of the last five seasons. All Booty has to do to join his USC Heisman alumni is put up some impressive numbers while leading the Trojans to an undefeated regular season.

If Booty can’t do that, Darren McFadden may go one step further than he did last season. McFadden was the runner-up for last year’s Heisman, but he may need to exceed his impressive stats from last year to claim the trophy because it doesn’t look like his Razorbacks will be repeating their 10 wins from last season.

If a running back not named McFadden snags the award it will likely be Steve Slaton. The West Virginia running back rushed for seven yards per carry last year and will be hard to ignore if he can do it again.