College Sports

Last year, Appalachian State turned the college football world on its ear when it went into the Big House and stunned fifth-ranked Michigan for what many consider an upset for the ages. It gave the little guys everywhere in college football hope.

Might it happen somewhere in America again this year? If you can believe a poll in one major newspaper this week, the answer is resounding yes — and it can be delivered by Jacksonville State when the Gamecocks go to Georgia Tech on Aug. 28.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution offered a poll to its on-line subscribers last week asking which underdog has the best chance of pulling the upset in the opening week of the season. Of the five games listed, JSU knocking off the Yellow Jackets was the clear favorite, garnering more than 700 votes — nearly 44 percent — of nearly 2,000 votes cast through Friday. It was more than Virginia beating Southern Cal (25 percent) and App State beating LSU (15 percent) — the two closest options — combined.

Is the arrival of Ryan Perrilloux in the Jax State huddle worth that much? Apparently so.

"I love the optimism," Jack Crowe said Saturday. "I love it."

But at the same time, the Gamecocks head coach has seen enough of these type polls over the years to know the influences that drive them.

"That's the combination of Georgia fans who are always going to go the other way and some really apprehensive Georgia Tech fans, because I know they're going through some issues in their offensive transition that's no simple transition," Crowe said. "The Georgia people I'm sure are pulling against Georgia Tech; they would hope that on their rival. But probably the real legitimate (reason) is the apprehension of changing offenses. I mean a serious change."

The Georgia Tech faithful has plenty to be apprehensive about. The Yellow Jackets went 7-6 last year and have lost their leading passer and leading rusher. They also have only four returning starters on defense. But perhaps question is how they'll look under new head coach, Paul Johnson, who brings a brand of wishbone foreign here but so effective for him at Georgia Southern and Navy.

And then there is the Perrilloux factor. The Gamecocks signed the former LSU quarterback two weeks after he was dismissed from the defending national champions for a series of off-field issues.

Perrilloux's arrival at JSU instantly elevated the Gamecocks, a team that went 6-5 the last three years, from mere contenders to heavy favorites for the Ohio Valley Conference title. Recruiting guru Max Emfinger told the Star last month Perrilloux will be the best player on the field in every game JSU plays. Several OVC coaches have said they'll make the Gamecocks' their pick in the preseason poll.

Since getting to campus, Perrilloux has been busy trying to make the most of his second chance. He has been working regularly with his new receivers and ¬— in what little spare time it's said he does have — has gained a passion for golf.

Crowe won't duck the notion there's a special talent in the program, but he doesn't want to overstate any expectations.

"Nobody really knows what Ryan's impact on this team is," Crowe said. "It's obviously cause for optimism, but nobody really knows that one thing.

"We haven't had one football practice yet ... Obviously, Ryan fits into the category of the best playmaker that's wide open, but that style of play affects the other 10 guys, too. We're in somewhat an experimental mode and nobody quite knows how that experiment is going to work out (so) I have a hard time jumping on that one. It's only a month away until we're able to talk in fact; I'd rather wait the month."

App State struck a big blow for all underdogs last year when it beat Michigan 34-32. It was the first time any team from the FCS has ever beaten a team in The Associated Press poll from 1989 to 2006. The Mountaineers ended up getting some votes in the big poll the next week and enterprising shopkeepers sold T-shirts commemmorating the feat throughout the year; expectedly, there was a big run in Ohio State strongholds.

Crowe agreed if the Gamecocks upset the Yellow Jackets on opening night "it'd be huge," but he wouldn't put it in that category.

"If we'd have won back-to-back national championships, I think maybe there'd be a correlation," he said.

Besides, he's not counting on the Jackets being the easy pickin's the polll responders think they'll be. He expects in time Johnson's offense will be a huge headache for their opponents. He just hopes it starts a week after they play the Gamecocks.

"I wish I could have fun with it, but it's pretty serious to me; I'm serious about going over there to win," Crowe said. "What my hope is, is they're really struggling in the challenge of changing styles, that they can't get the changes made. I'd like to catch them playing left-handed, but I'm not planning on it. I think that'd be naive."