Most who know me would tell you that I’m some type of a creature of habit. I usually don’t… Most who know me would tell you that I’m some type of a creature of habit. I usually don’t like to be surprised. You can imagine my reaction when Norman Bates broke into Marion Crane’s bathroom and whacked the central character in Psycho. When things don’t go as planned, I get so fired up that if I were at Miami, I’d start hitting people.

This mindset isn’t supposed to apply to college sports, however.

As a writer, you always want to be right. It doesn’t always make for an interesting story, but it makes you look good to your editor, immediate family and best friend. You know, the people who you bribe to pay attention to your inane observations (thanks, Mom and Dad).

I don’t mind being surprised in college football, though. Without surprises, we’d be reduced to watching Notre Dame clips on SportsCenter every day of the week. Well, nevermind. Some things will always be mainstays.

Surprises don’t get to me like they do in everyday life. What does bother me, though, are the “surprises” that are classified as shockers by those who haven’t been paying attention. Let’s check this out a bit deeper in regards to the 2006 season.

Surprises — The good and the bad. We’ll get to the ugly later when we have an exclusive interview with the Miami Hurricanes.

No. 25 Wake Forest (6-1, 2-1 ACC) — Is this football, or did we just get too excited with the preseason basketball rankings? The Demon Deacons are one of the more surprising squads thus far. Wake Forest has just always had the look of a 5-7 to 7-5 team. It could beat Clemson and Maryland and lose to North Carolina all in the same month, and nobody would be surprised. Consider this year’s version, which has only a 27-17 loss to No. 12 Clemson tarnishing its season. A stout defense (14.7 points per game allowed) has Wake Forest looking at a legitimate possibility of eight or nine wins.

Miami (Fl.) (4-2, 1-1 ACC) — The Hurricanes are surprising only from a football standpoint. Never does one expect a Miami team to struggle to beat Houston (14-13, after trailing by a touchdown in the second half), lose by 20-plus to Louisville and get into a bench-clearing brawl with the almighty powerhouse that is Florida International. Well, we can expect some things from them, I guess.

Florida State (4-2, 2-2 ACC) — Remember when the winner of the Florida State-Miami game was guaranteed placement on the fast track to the ACC championship? I do. While the rest of the ACC has undoubtedly improved, nothing can account for the two most disappointing things I’ve seen out of the Seminoles. They needed a fourth-quarter rally to get past Troy. Rally does correctly imply that the team was behind. FSU also gave up an unfathomable amount of points to Duke. The Blue Devils graced the end zone three times in a 51-24 loss to the ‘Noles last week. Those things just can’t happen.

Not Surprises — Things people want you to believe are out of the ordinary. Don’t be fooled, you could have seen this coming.

No. 19 Rutgers (6-0, 2-0 Big East) — Did anybody watch Rutgers play last season? Nobody should be surprised that this team is where it is. Ray Rice (899 rush yards, 11 TDs in 2006) was showing signs of greatness last year. Greg Schiano gave Mike Teel valuable experience last year even with Ryan Hart, the best passer in school history, on the roster. This team had expectations this year, contrary to what most want you to believe. Also, could anybody honestly look at his schedule thus far and find me one game that the Scarlet Knights shouldn’t have won? I’m excited to see what they do against the big boys of the Big East.

No. 2/3(not 2 or 3?JH USC (6-0, 4-0 PAC-10) — Programs like USC don’t rebuild, they reload. Losing Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White will hurt any team, but each emerged from the shadow of another great player. Do we have any reason to believe that John David Booty (1,357 pass yards, 13 TDs), Emmanuel Moody (423 rush yards, 2 TDs) and Chauncey Washington (400 yards, 3 TDs) aren’t going to become stars in their own right? Pete Carroll won’t go from Orange to Tangerine or Peach Bowl in one season, he probably won’t ever see that fall off.

Miami (Fl.) — (acting like thugs) — Let’s review, Miami.

Q: Hey thanks again for taking some time with us, Miami.

Miami: Yeah, man. Hey, if anybody asks, I was with you all day. Got it?

Q: Um, right. So tell me, did you prematurely celebrate by stomping on Louisville’s logo before the game last month?

Miami: Hell yeah!

Q: Were you then laughed off the field by a team without its two top players?

M: Well, yeah.

Q: Then you engaged in a bench-clearing brawl with the be-and-end-all of college football, Florida International?

M: Yeah, but…

Q: I understand you guys were beating on them pretty good. Using crutches and helmets to hit them. Impressive. I’m curious, what did you do after that?

M: Aw, man, we celebrated! We were jumpin’ up and down and raisin’ our lids.

Q: Your lids?

M: Yeah, our gear. Ya know, the helmets with “THE U” on them.

Q: Weren’t you afraid of some sort of security or police involvement?

M: The police??

Q: Well, yeah, I mean you have to wonder if any criminal charges…Miami? Where are you going? Don’t run away. America isn’t done laughing at you yet!