Pardon me while my mind runneth over:
College football coaches and players always like to say they never look past their next opponent. College football fans, however, can enjoy that luxury.
The Mountain East Conference football slate began Thursday, but what likely will be the biggest MEC game of the season - and one of the biggest Division II games in the country - comes to University of Charleston Stadium on Thursday. The UC Golden Eagles host No. 4 Shepherd at 7:30 p.m.
It's a matchup of the two teams that are now a piece of MEC trivia, the two squads who gave the Mountain East multiple Division II playoff entrants for the first time in conference history. UC fell in the first round last year, but the Rams went all the way to the DII national title game.
UC Stadium's turf should be filled with talent again this year. Thirteen all-MEC first-team picks from 2015 should be on the field Thursday night.
This game last year was the decider in the final MEC standings. Shepherd won 45-25 in 2015 as part of its undefeated conference run, and it was UC's only conference loss. There is no reason to believe the stakes won't be that high Thursday night.
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Speaking of the MEC, a familiar name popped up in the statistics of Glenville State's 44-24 win Thursday over Urbana - former South Charleston High star Kentre' Grier.
Originally a member of the North Carolina A&T 2016 signing class, Grier changed course and joined the Pioneers' roster. But the former SC quarterback - and the 2014 Gatorade state player of the year at that position - is on Glenville's depth chart as a wide receiver. He didn't wait long to make a contribution. Grier caught two passes for 17 yards against Urbana.
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The Capital High football team might not have left Paintsville, Kentucky, with a win over Johnson Central High, but it did leave town with the respect of many at JCHS.
Johnson Central's band director, Martina Lutz, took to Facebook on Saturday and gave the Cougars a five-star review on Capital's page, lauding both the CHS band and team, calling them "a class act."
"My students and parents have nothing but praise for how nice, polite, and friendly everyone from your school was," Lutz wrote. "I had a chance to speak to your band staff and a few parents, they were absolutely lovely.
"Your football team stayed after the game to thoroughly clean the visitor locker room; that speaks volumes," she continued. "You have some awesome people there at Capital High, Johnson Central was very impressed."
They weren't the only folks left impressed. Bravo, Cougars.
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If you're looking for a sporting event to watch this long Labor Day weekend and don't feel like staying glued to your sofa in front of your television the whole time, there are plenty of opportunities around the Kanawha Valley to step into the sun and take in a contest.
The Charleston Distance Run begins on Kanawha Boulevard near the State Capitol at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Runners of every sort, from world-class to weekend warriors, will take to the 15-mile course that features some of the most challenging terrain for a distance run around. The runners always could use a few more cheers during their travels. And it might spur a young spectator to think as the late Joni Adams did when she watched the race as a teen - if they can do it, so can I.
If you'd like to see some college football live and up close, West Virginia State starts its 2016 campaign at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lakin Field in Institute, hosting Fairmont State. Last season's game in Fairmont featured 93 points scored, 59 of them from the Yellow Jackets. And most of the cogs of a State offense that led the MEC in passing return this year.
And the West Virginia Power concludes its 2016 schedule this weekend against Greenville with games at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, 2:05 p.m. Sunday and 1:05 p.m. Monday. Appalachian Power Park is always a fun place to catch nine innings.
"Buy local" isn't just a mantra for the grocery store or the restaurant. It means something in the sporting world, too.
Contact Derek Redd at 304-348-1712 or derek.redd@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @derekredd.