Ohio State 31 Michigan State 3 -- at the half..

OK so this is a blowout. It's halftime of my first game of NCAA 09 and ...wow. Ohio State as a team is rated a *99*. I love my Bucks but come on. A 99? UGA is a 99, too, FWIW.

Understand I didn't play the demo so this was my first taste. I am playing on default All American -- no slider changes at all.

It looks gorgeous, plays smooth as silk, the tackling is great, and the old bugaboo from NCAA 08 -- the CPU INT, at least in this first half of this first game, is in full effect. The Bucks have picked off the MSU QB 4 times in the first half. It's kinda crazy, really. MSU actually put together a great 14 play drive which netted their only score, but it's picks-a-plenty for OSU.

No penalties thus far, either. Again, no setting changes at all.

Open field running is great. Really cool this year.

Punt returns on this lvl -- CRAZY easy. I am averaging 30 per return.

I can already tell that playing with a good team on AA lvl (default) isn't gonna fly. Not just due to the INTs but Ohio State is just friggin loaded. I feel like I can lob it to Robiskie almost at will. Keep in mind I have *never* liked NCAA on default settings so this is by no means a shock or something to take too seriously. It's the first half of one game on settings we all know to be a bit easy out of the box.

I did have to take the QB Quiz to boost my composure. I admit -- it's a total guessing game. I picked right and unlocked an achievement. Woo.

But -- I really, really hope we are not stuck, again, with the CPU INT problem. If sliders do not fix this, it will yet again by a bust as a solo game and it will depend on online dynasty mode to save it. Normally I'd say "Eh, it's just one half" but with how NCAA 08 turned out in this regard, the red flag is up.

Time to go to Heisman...