They fly by so quickly don't they? Just like that we're down to our final three bowl games. Likewise, our field of competitors has been whittled down to just two: TU Senior (a.k.a. Grant) and The Rev (a.k.a. Doug Birr).Going into Friday, A True Blue Husker (a.k.a. Nate) still had a shot at the Bowl Championship Sage title, but was knocked out when ECU and Buffalo came up short.
Even though most of us are technically out of the running, I would like to take a moment and recognize some of the stellar picks of this year's competition.
5.) Kentucky - Apparently dubbed "The Kneecap Bowl," Grant and I were the only ones to stick with the SEC in the Liberty Bowl when the masses were flocking to the Conference USA champion. Technically Marzipan (a.k.a. Tobi) also had the Wildcats, but when you merely flip a coin I can't give you credit for making a great pick.
4.) Colorado St. - He may be in last place, but Willy Jacket (a.k.a. Brett) was the only one to give the Rams a shot in the New Mexico Bowl against a talented, but streaky Fresno St. squad. (Sorry Marzipan, but you got these all on dumb luck).
3.) Vandy - Eight bowl wins in a row, highly ranked defense, ACC runner-up, who wouldn't go with Boston College in the Music City Bowl? A. Contenda (a.k.a. Sue) and Tiffani (a.k.a. my wife), that's who. I give the ladies props for going with the Commodores. (Props are good).
2.) Ole Miss - While everyone else went with Mike Leach and the high-powered Texas Teck offense, Nate sided with the Right Reverend Houston Nutt in the Cotton Bowl. The Rebels came through for Nate during the regular season against LSU and the Husker went right back to the well again and did not come up dry. (Sorry again, Marzipan; I can give you the points for the win, but that's it).
1.) Utah - Some of us might have thought the Tide lost some of the wind in their sails after blowing the perfect season and a chance at the national championship, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to pick non-BCS Utah. While the rest of us made the "smart pick" with Nick Saban and that dominant offensive line of Alabama, The Beast (a.k.a. Alex) went with the long shot, Brian Johnson and the Utes, in the Sugar Bowl.As of right now, The Beast is technically the only player to get a pick right all by himself. But A. Contenda has a chance in these next two games as she has both Ohio St. and Tulsa, either of which would earn her a spot in this year's great picks.
And it seems only fitting that the championship game will decide the winner of this year's Bowl Championship Sage Competition. A win for Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators will keep TU Senior in the lead (and Kenny in second place). But if Sam Bradford can go against the Heisman trend and get the Sooners a victory, The Rev will come out on top.
I hope you enjoy the rest of this year's bowl season.
4 comments:
I do appreciate the nod and the "Right Reverend" nod. He sure got the Rebel Congregation to rise up with one accord! I think they will be tough next year, as will Bama, Florida, Georgia if the talent stays, and don't count out LSU now that they have a QB. The SEC in '09 looks like more fun than ever!!!
All right, I'll start the chaos ball rolling. I vote Utah #1, end of story. Normally I wouldn't give a team from a lesser conference this credit, but A) The MWC is not a lesser conference, not this year. Utah is in the mix for a championship in 2 or 3 of 6 BCS conferences. And they scheduled well out of conference, with two legitimate BCS teams...they can't help it that Michigan is down.
Now I don't think it is fair to start comparing tit for tat every game on the schedule. A team's conference needs to merit a general level of competence. Most years, the non-BCS conferences don't. This year, I think the MWC does. If any team from a BCS conference goes undefeated, it is my humble opinion that they should be ranked ahead of one-loss teams. And since, again in my humble opinion, Utah's MWC reaches that competence level this year, they should be ranked #1. Do I think they are better than OU and Florida? No. But the national title should not go to who we think is the best team. It should go to who has the best record. Otherwise, it would be a waste of time and money to play the games. We could just award USC the title every year.
Lastly, I think a lot of people miss that the bowl games are part of the season, and so should factor into national championship determination, not necessarily be the national championship determiner. And Utah, in their bowl game, had the most impressive win anyone (with any sort of stake at #1) has notched this season so far, with the possible exception of Texas. Then again, Texas has been playing underwhelming football since the first half against Missouri. They barely beat OSU at home, lost at Texas Tech, clubbed Baylor and A&M (woo-hoo) and edged the Buckeyes.
My mantra is always that if you lose, you lose your right to argue. Utah never lost, and therefore has the best argument.
I just realized I made a very Buzz McCallister argument with an A) and no B), 3) or D). Apologies. I was ranting...I can't help it if my grammar suffers in such moments. What am I, John Miller?
Woody Paige, do you even believe any of that nonsense?! First of all, as soon as the powers that be start saying the team with the best record is the national champion, you're going to have non-conference schedules filled with FCS schools and non-BCS nobodies. We already have too much of that as it is; we want to be moving in the opposite direction with college football. Playing in the nation's best conference(s) should give you the benefit of the doubt, not a handicap.
Secondly, the MWC is still a lesser conference. Besides Utah, TCU and BYU, it's just as mediocre as any other non-BCS conference. ("Except for Rodriguez, you're all a bunch of rejects!"). I think Utah and TCU could do alright in a BCS conference, but they're not good enough to win one yet. That's why only BCS conference winners can get to the championship game ("I want WINNERS!"). These schools are of a different caliber.
You're right that it's not fair to compare tit for tat every game on the schedule. That's why if you want to play for a national championship, join a better conference, play with the big boys every week and eliminate the guesswork.
Utah has just reached the pinnacle of non-BCS football; good job, boys. But if that's not enough for them, they should quit playing Weber St. and Utah St. and play in a serious league.
And while I agree it's not Utah's fault that Michigan was down this year, I also say they're fortunate. If they would have even played an average squad by Michigan standards they would have got their clocks cleaned. As it was, they barely beat the worst Michigan team in history.
It doesn't take a genius to realize that either Florida or Oklahoma would destroy the Utes; that's why they're both in the championship game and Utah is not. The winner of tonight's game is this year's #1, end of story.
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