Things are getting down to the nitty-gritty in college football and, unless a major upset occurs in the next couple weeks, somebody's going to get shafted.
Because now we're down to three undefeated teams. Previously unbeaten Baylor just got hammered by Okla St., leaving only Alabama, Florida State, and Ohio State with unblemished records. So what happens if they all win out, definitely a high probability? Which two get to go to the national championship game? Let's look at each.
Fresh off a national championship last season, Bama came in ranked #1 this year, and really hasn't done anything to merit losing their lofty status. Next week they travel to arch-rival Auburn, who's currently #6. After losing @ LSU way back in September, the Tigers have reeled off seven consecutive victories, including four over ranked opponents. Chances are, the Crimson Tide will have their hands full with these guys, especially on the road. But Bama should prevail, because they're just that good.
Florida State plays at Florida next weekend. Normally this would be a good game, but it turns out the Gators are terrible. They just got beat by Georgia Southern, of all things, and won't even be going to a bowl this season, breaking the longest such streak in college football history. The Seminoles will likely absolutely trash Florida to remain unbeaten and ranked #2. But that's the thing. If one looks back at the preseason rankings, Florida State was only #11. Yes, they've been impressive, but how in the world did they overtake.....
Ohio State, which entered the season ranked #2? The Buckeyes have been taking care of business as well. Ohio State goes to arch-rival Michigan next weekend and, like Florida, the Wolverines are also terrible. Michigan is below .500 in their own conference, and just got thumped by Iowa. Had UM not caught a few lucky breaks earlier in the season, while they were playing their usual patsies like Akron and UConn, both games they likely should have lost, the Wolverines might not be going to a bowl either. They're just that overrated. And these days, there's so many bowls, about all a team need do is have a pulse to qualify for one. Look for the Ohio State juggernaut offense to run up and down the field scoring points galore against UM's woeful porous defense. There's certainly no love lost between these two teams, and this game could get ugly, not to mention highly embarrassing for the Maize and Blue faithful in their own Big House. Then Ohio State will face Michigan State in the Big 10 championship game. The Spartans have the nation's top ranked defense, and certainly appear to be a solid and well-coached team, but yours truly suspects when they lock horns with the Buckeyes in Indianapolis for the Big 10 crown, they're going to come out on the short end of it.
So assuming the above-mentioned top 3 all hold serve, only two of them can go to the Rose Bowl on Jan. 6, 2014, to slug it out for the national title. One of them will be left holding the proverbial bag, and have a very good reason to cry foul.
Here's the way yours truly looks at it. Alabama is the defending champion, came in ranked #1, and have done nothing to warrant losing that ranking. They should be in.
Ohio State is currently riding the longest winning streak in the nation in major college football. They have yet to taste defeat since Urban Meyer took over the head coaching reins at the beginning of the 2012 season. No, they weren't eligible for a bowl last year in the wake of the tattoo-gate scandal that plagued them the year before. And they were ranked #2 in the preseason polls for this year. If they dispatch both the major Michigan teams in the next couple weeks -- highly likely -- how can they be denied a shot at the Big Dance having gone undefeated for two whole years? They should be in as well.
Florida State has been a steamroller all year, and might very well be the best team in the country. But when a team starts off the season ranked #11, I don't care how bad they beat up on inferior competition -- there's no way they should be able to jump all the way up to #2, while leap-frogging Ohio State. They should be out.
But right now, if nothing changes, it's looking like the Buckeyes might get the short straw. It doesn't seem fair somehow.
The NCAA has been lucky in years past. When it comes down to the mythical national championship, things have always seemed to fall their way to leave two teams standing on top. (Remember, if Ohio State hadn't been on probation last year, they likely would have faced Notre Dame in the title game. Bama could rightfully have been left out, having lost at home to Johnny Football and his Texas A&M Aggies). But this year could be different, with 3 worthy competitors vying for 2 spots.
If all this plays out in the next few weeks like is highly probable -- strap yourselves in for what's coming next month. The scribes and talking heads will go bonkers with stats from hell debating which two teams should get a trip to Pasadena, and which should be left out. And in the end, somebody's going to be rightfully pissed.
At least this is the last year of this nonsense from the woefully archaic NCAA. Beginning next year, they'll expand their playoff format to 4 teams. Remember, the NCAA is about as hip with the times as, say, the Amish, the Vatican, Tibetan monks, and certain radio talk show hosts.
But it's a start.
No comments:
Post a Comment