There were no major surprises in Saturday's championship match ups. Oklahoma steamrolled Missouri to win the Big 12 title to make their case for a national championship berth. Florida needed to rally in the 4th quarter to overtake Alabama. Alabama was leading going into the 4th quarter, but didn't enough left before falling. Virginia Tech won the ACC in a blah game. Elsewhere: USC won their rivalry game with UCLA, although I expected more than a 28-7 win. With Florida and Oklahoma #1 in the various human polls, it seems now like a no-brainer for the BCS title game.
So....what he have for the BCS title game on January 8th in Miami: Oklahoma and Florida. This may be the exception to the rule that defenses win championships. Make no mistake in this match: offensive fireworks will rule. But was this the right matchup??
I think Texas may have a legitimate beef. But let's face it-Oklahoma and Florida are playing the best football right now. I'm still having trouble with Oklahoma being ahead of a team they lost to (it defies my poll logic). I have the hope that the writers that vote in the Associated Press poll will look at more common sense and vote Texas as the best team-pending the bowl results. I don't think that will happen. Maybe the payback from 1969 (Dick Nixon's declaration that Texas was the best team in the nation before the bowl season...and an undefeated Penn State out there...) comes full circle for Texas.
The Rose Bowl may actually have the second best match up- Penn State vs. USC is a very attractive game. Most people are automatically thinking USC will win and easily. But Joe Paterno prepares his teams for bowl better than most coaches, so don't take the Nits lightly!!
The other games don't it for me: Ohio State-Texas in the Fiesta. Boise State or even Alabama works well here for me. The Sugar features Alabama vs. Utah. This one is interesting; just not sexy enough. The Orange has Virginia vs. Cincinnati and again you have to wonder why either team deserves this spot this year.
I don't know what else to say except that if the TV ratings are bad or if the games are boring, we have the BCS/NCAA to blame; and they get whatever they deserve. I'm seeing so many comments about how everybody loves the bowl system and it should be kept as is. In tough economic times, the bowl system is over bloated...in some instances a complete waste of time, money and resources. The money would be better served to be used in a tournament...this could generate a buzz not unlike what we see in March. 60 teams playing in the various bowl games don't seem worth it. How many .500 teams do we see in March Madness???
Now for my final regular season Top Ten:
I must predicate this in that I'm breaking my one cardinal rule: I will be ranking a team ahead of one they lost to. Basically my rankings will be looking at a big picture of the season, rather than one single instance. Therefore.....
1. Oklahoma. They have, with one blip, played better than anybody this year. It's a miracle they are in this position without a defense.
2. Florida. They were pushed by Alabama, so the Gators proved they could win the tight game. Very close to Oklahoma as the best team. Maybe the BCS got it right??? Well....
3. Texas. They beat OU. But that's all I think they have going. There's not much more meat on their schedule. Not taking away from their great year, but to me, it's not quite enough to be playing in the title game.
4. Alabama. Poor Alabama. They played well in their own right; they just weren't quite good enough for one game...maybe even just 15 minutes. And they will be forgotten because of the top two or three. Which is a damn shame, because their resume is as good as any, save for OU. In some ways, they have almost more of a gripe than Texas.
5. Utah. Why not Utah for the title game? They had some impressive non conference wins, they won their conference and they did not lose. And yet...they are left out. Too bad...
6. Penn State. I think people now are starting to appreciate the special year the Nits have had. Except for one fatal turnover, you would have seen PSU in the title game and a wild debate for #2. Thank PSU for saving the world some grief. I think the Nits were unfairly punished for Ohio State's failures in the title game. They crushed Oregon State (who beat USC); they got over their demons in wins against Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. Plus they beat ranked teams (at the time) in Illinois and Michigan State. If they beat USC, can't any consideration be given here for the AP national title??
7. USC. They are good, but I don't think they have as much to show as people think. Yeah, they beat Ohio State worse than Penn State did; but that's it. The voters are so far up Pete Carroll's butt it's not even funny. Can't wait until the Rose Bowl....
8. Texas Tech. Perhaps they deserve to be ahead of USC. TT had a great year this year and in some ways, it's sad they don't have more to show for it. Cotton Bowl date seems almost criminal for the reward they truly deserved instead....
9.Boise State. The BCS couldn't give them an at large over Ohio State? It's even more criminal that an undefeated team can't play in the place they deserve-on New Year's Day. They are a proven success....
10. Ohio State. I hated to do this, but were TCU, Georgia, Oklahoma State or even Ball State better? Makes for another interesting debate.
BCS controversy and drama notwithstanding, one has to admit 2008 was truly an outstanding year!! It was a lot of fun writing each week! I'll do a bowl preview once I've had a chance to digest the match ups.
One last note...The Top Ten says to me that if we were to ever have a tournament for the title, eight teams might be the best way to start. I can't see much after #9 or 10 that it would make much sense. Maybe we'll weigh in on this some day...
JP
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