The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT October 13, 2010

When it comes to college football, one off day can hurt you more than you'd like to admit.

One loss, just a single loss, could end up costing you a shot at the ultimate prize at the end of the day - a championship.

IF YOU'RE a fan of the Washington State Cougars, that ship sailed a few months ago, but for those teams like Ohio State, Oregon and yes, that other football team on the southern side of the state, one bad day and those dreams of the BCS title game are finished.

Should those teams remain unbeaten, you probably will see a rematch of last year's Rose Bowl, won by the Buckeyes over the Ducks in Pasadena.

Anything else could likely put the Blue and Orange in the title game - that is, if they can outlast Idaho on Nov. 12 in the Kibbie Dome, which by some is almost a forgone conclusion.

After having Utah back out of an agreement to play a two-year series with Boise State, it's almost a wonder who the Broncos could find to play them at least once a year when they jump to the Mountain West Conference. Hint ... they'll be waiting for you in Moscow in 30 days.

RIVALRIES ARE something that makes most college football games fun to watch - especially this season when a few of the teams around the northwest have started to make a name for themselves.

As much as the Eastern Washington win over Montana should have shocked me, it really didn't - a program looking forward to a fresh start on red turf, rivalry game, a sold-out crowd - those kind of things will happen.

What you really don't expect are those games that are supposed to be winnable, are anything but.

I'm not sure what Alabama coach Nick Saban told his team before Saturday's game at South Carolina, but it probably wasn't anything having to do with losing by 14 points and putting a dent in their national title hopes.

There are plenty of things that can happen between now and the first week of December in college football, but expect a few more upsets in the coming weeks.

WITHIN THE next two weeks, local high school football teams will battle for positioning for the state playoffs.

In the local 5A and 4A lnland Empire leagues, it’s possible that you could see things settled within a couple of tiebreakers instead of things being settled by the final night of the regular season on Oct. 29.

The 3A seeds could be settled next Friday night as Timberlake hosts Bonners Ferry in a key Intermountain League game. Timberlake owns a win over Priest River and St. Maries, while Bonners Ferry is coming off a huge win at Kellogg last Friday.

Then again, every win at this point in the season can be considered a huge win.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached via telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.