Jim
12-07-2008, 11:07 AM
It is too bad Boise State can’t play in the Cotton Bowl vs. Texas Tech or in the Las Vegas Bowl vs. TCU or BYU. The Broncos are truly far more deserving than this “after thought” bowl. The same can be said for an outstanding TCU. These two teams (BSU and TCU) are projected to play in the Poinsettia Bowl – only because not enough Pac Ten teams are available so you can see what the BCS types think of this “make just a few bucks’ bowl in San Diego. Either the Horned Frogs or Broncos could inflict havoc on the overwhelming majority of BCS level teams and probably a few in the BCS bowl fray this time around as well. The Mountain West needs to be elevated to the BCS level as they prove their competitiveness vs. “their betters” year in and year out. They owned the Pac Ten this year. Even their bottom-feeders went on the road to the SEC and won.
ESPN is talking about how Oklahoma rubbed-it-in vs. Missouri. Tell me, when you hand the ball off to a RB and he hits the line, is it rubbing it in if the opponents can’t tackle him and he jaunts into the end zone? The Sooners had six rushing TDs last night and only two through the air. If Stoops was trying to showcase his Heisman candidate, he’d have insisted he toss six TD passes rather than run the ball as much as they did. ESPN never has anything good to say about Oklahoma. Either they don’t deserve to play for the conference championship or they’re being a big, mean bully to the team they’re trouncing. Funny, I don’t recall ESPN pissing and moaning about Florida’s 63-5, 49-10 and 56-6 trounces of Kentucky, Georgia or South Carolina. Maybe I missed something? All I could gather is that they were all licking Tebow’s crack and smacking their lips. It is not Tim’s fault but the medias. Now Tebow is a very good person and Florida is extremely fortunate to have such a excellent example of a man, a citizen and a player dedicated to the team’s success rather than concentrating on his own. He may very well win the Heisman again and I don’t have a problem with that as he is, at a minimum, at least as deserving as any other candidate this year. He was a marked man and still delivered. That is saying something for him and his team. The Gators are blessed. There, I said it … happy?
A real question is how well Alabama will be motivated and perform against Utah in the Sugar Bowl? The Utes are unbeaten and Alabama was. We know that Utah will relish the opportunity to place such a highly regarded team in one of the BCS bowls. It legitimizes their success this year in the eyes of the national media. You know, I always complain about how unfairly the media treats Oklahoma. I can only imagine how frustrated the MWC teams like Utah, TCU and BYU must feel when they trash BCS opposition and can only hope for a bottom of the Top Ten ranking in regular or BCS polls. Will Alabama approach this bowl game as if the season was all wrapped up on the evening of December 6th? I think the Crimson Tide might show a bit of lethargic behavior vs. Utah but when the Utes start smacking Alabama in the mouth, the Tide will awaken and realize these folks from way out west mean business.
Ohio State will jump at the Fiesta Bowl in a “Columbus-second”. Phoenix brings pleasant memories. The last thing the Buckeyes really want is to play the SEC again in New Orleans. Texas, with a lot to prove to the “anointers” (in the Big 12 and nowhere else) for disenfranchising them will be ready for Ohio State. With the recent home-home series with the Buckeyes, Longhorns will be eager to avenge that embarrassing 24-7 loss to Ohio State in Austin in 2006. This will be a pretty good game with both teams impressing the viewers.
USC vs. Penn State. I recall some of these bowl matchups from the 1980s. Well, maybe only one occurred but PSU handled USC. Of course none of the participants in this game were even born yet so it is a moot point. Both teams have solid defenses but Penn State can control a clock. This will be a bowl game worth watching in every sense of the word. The Nittany Lions prepare well for the post season as do the Trojans. Penn State seems to win those bowls where, on paper, they shouldn’t. I think this game goes down to the wire.
Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl. Cincy ought to bring a big crowd as this is clearly a first for their program. VPI will bring a crowd as well. The locals will ignore this one and probably take in a Dolphins, Jaguars or Buccaneers game instead. Miami is becoming a dead zone for college football in my opinion. If this game was played in Atlanta it would receive far more support. Atlanta is vibrant whereas Miami is a collection of bars, the gay community (those two keeping the city alive from a social spending standpoint) and gangs of drug dealers and violence (unreported – to the IRS- financial economy). I think the Hokies win this one as they’re used to the pressure whereas Cincinnati will get caught up in the action of Miami.
1. Florida – Ascend to the top spot with a win over previously undefeated Alabama. SEC champs: BCS title game.
2. Oklahoma – Break two historical records in points scored and consecutive 60-point games. Crush Mizzou, 62-21.
3. Texas – Longhorns await a BCS Bowl. Probably the Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State.
4. Alabama – Tide knocked from the unbeaten by an outstanding Florida team. Next: Sugar Bowl (most probable)
5. Southern California – Pedestrian win over rival UCLA, 28-7. Will play Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
6. Utah – Season already completed. Unbeaten Utes probably travelling to the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama.
7. Penn State – Season already completed. Next game vs. USC in the Rose Bowl.
8. Boise State – Season already completed. Projected bowl game is vs. TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.
9. Ohio State – Season already completed. Probably headed to the Fiesta Bowl to play Texas.
10. Texas Tech – Season completed. Looks like the Cotton Bowl vs. LSU.
11. TCU – With Utah headed to the BCS, TCU will probably play Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
12. Cincinnati – With Pitt beating WVU, the Bearcats clinched the Big East and clobbered Syracuse. Orange Bowl next.
13. Northwestern – Season completed at 9-3. Await a January 1 bowl game in Florida vs. SEC.
14. Brigham Young– Season completed at 10-2. Awaiting bowl selections.
15. Georgia Tech– Jackets snap seven game losing streak to Georgia to finish at 9-3. Awaiting bowl game selection.
16. Georgia– finish up season with an upset loss to Georgia Tech. January 1 bowl game in Florida is next.
17. Oregon– Win the Civil War in high fashion by putting up 65 on the Beavers. Holiday Bowl next?
18. Oklahoma State– Step for step with the Sooners until mid-4th quarter. Await post season bowl selection.
19. Virginia Tech– Win Coastal division of the ACC with late win over rival Virginia. Play BC next week for ACC title.
20. Iowa– Season completed at 8-4. Await a Florida bowl game vs. SEC or Alamo vs. Big 12.
21. Ball State– Buffalo pulls a shocking upset as Turner Gill’s Bulls get it done in just three years.
22. California – Crush hapless Washington, 48-7. Huskies worst team in history at 0-12.
23. Pittsburgh – Beat Connecticut on the road to close out an impressive year and grab probable Sun Bowl.
24. Mississippi – Already finished season last week to go 8-4. Probable Capital One or Blockbuster Bowl vs. Big Ten.
25. Missouri – Sad ending for a once high-expectation Missouri. Lose Big 12 title game to Oklahoma, 62-21.
Ranks: 26-50.
Michigan State, Boston College, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arizona, Florida State, Rice, Nebraska, Maryland, West Virginia,
Western Michigan, LSU, Clemson, Tulsa, Wake Forest, Air Force, Kansas, Nevada, South Carolina, Houston, Navy, Wisconsin, Central Michigan, Troy, Buffalo.
ESPN is talking about how Oklahoma rubbed-it-in vs. Missouri. Tell me, when you hand the ball off to a RB and he hits the line, is it rubbing it in if the opponents can’t tackle him and he jaunts into the end zone? The Sooners had six rushing TDs last night and only two through the air. If Stoops was trying to showcase his Heisman candidate, he’d have insisted he toss six TD passes rather than run the ball as much as they did. ESPN never has anything good to say about Oklahoma. Either they don’t deserve to play for the conference championship or they’re being a big, mean bully to the team they’re trouncing. Funny, I don’t recall ESPN pissing and moaning about Florida’s 63-5, 49-10 and 56-6 trounces of Kentucky, Georgia or South Carolina. Maybe I missed something? All I could gather is that they were all licking Tebow’s crack and smacking their lips. It is not Tim’s fault but the medias. Now Tebow is a very good person and Florida is extremely fortunate to have such a excellent example of a man, a citizen and a player dedicated to the team’s success rather than concentrating on his own. He may very well win the Heisman again and I don’t have a problem with that as he is, at a minimum, at least as deserving as any other candidate this year. He was a marked man and still delivered. That is saying something for him and his team. The Gators are blessed. There, I said it … happy?
A real question is how well Alabama will be motivated and perform against Utah in the Sugar Bowl? The Utes are unbeaten and Alabama was. We know that Utah will relish the opportunity to place such a highly regarded team in one of the BCS bowls. It legitimizes their success this year in the eyes of the national media. You know, I always complain about how unfairly the media treats Oklahoma. I can only imagine how frustrated the MWC teams like Utah, TCU and BYU must feel when they trash BCS opposition and can only hope for a bottom of the Top Ten ranking in regular or BCS polls. Will Alabama approach this bowl game as if the season was all wrapped up on the evening of December 6th? I think the Crimson Tide might show a bit of lethargic behavior vs. Utah but when the Utes start smacking Alabama in the mouth, the Tide will awaken and realize these folks from way out west mean business.
Ohio State will jump at the Fiesta Bowl in a “Columbus-second”. Phoenix brings pleasant memories. The last thing the Buckeyes really want is to play the SEC again in New Orleans. Texas, with a lot to prove to the “anointers” (in the Big 12 and nowhere else) for disenfranchising them will be ready for Ohio State. With the recent home-home series with the Buckeyes, Longhorns will be eager to avenge that embarrassing 24-7 loss to Ohio State in Austin in 2006. This will be a pretty good game with both teams impressing the viewers.
USC vs. Penn State. I recall some of these bowl matchups from the 1980s. Well, maybe only one occurred but PSU handled USC. Of course none of the participants in this game were even born yet so it is a moot point. Both teams have solid defenses but Penn State can control a clock. This will be a bowl game worth watching in every sense of the word. The Nittany Lions prepare well for the post season as do the Trojans. Penn State seems to win those bowls where, on paper, they shouldn’t. I think this game goes down to the wire.
Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl. Cincy ought to bring a big crowd as this is clearly a first for their program. VPI will bring a crowd as well. The locals will ignore this one and probably take in a Dolphins, Jaguars or Buccaneers game instead. Miami is becoming a dead zone for college football in my opinion. If this game was played in Atlanta it would receive far more support. Atlanta is vibrant whereas Miami is a collection of bars, the gay community (those two keeping the city alive from a social spending standpoint) and gangs of drug dealers and violence (unreported – to the IRS- financial economy). I think the Hokies win this one as they’re used to the pressure whereas Cincinnati will get caught up in the action of Miami.
1. Florida – Ascend to the top spot with a win over previously undefeated Alabama. SEC champs: BCS title game.
2. Oklahoma – Break two historical records in points scored and consecutive 60-point games. Crush Mizzou, 62-21.
3. Texas – Longhorns await a BCS Bowl. Probably the Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State.
4. Alabama – Tide knocked from the unbeaten by an outstanding Florida team. Next: Sugar Bowl (most probable)
5. Southern California – Pedestrian win over rival UCLA, 28-7. Will play Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
6. Utah – Season already completed. Unbeaten Utes probably travelling to the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama.
7. Penn State – Season already completed. Next game vs. USC in the Rose Bowl.
8. Boise State – Season already completed. Projected bowl game is vs. TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.
9. Ohio State – Season already completed. Probably headed to the Fiesta Bowl to play Texas.
10. Texas Tech – Season completed. Looks like the Cotton Bowl vs. LSU.
11. TCU – With Utah headed to the BCS, TCU will probably play Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
12. Cincinnati – With Pitt beating WVU, the Bearcats clinched the Big East and clobbered Syracuse. Orange Bowl next.
13. Northwestern – Season completed at 9-3. Await a January 1 bowl game in Florida vs. SEC.
14. Brigham Young– Season completed at 10-2. Awaiting bowl selections.
15. Georgia Tech– Jackets snap seven game losing streak to Georgia to finish at 9-3. Awaiting bowl game selection.
16. Georgia– finish up season with an upset loss to Georgia Tech. January 1 bowl game in Florida is next.
17. Oregon– Win the Civil War in high fashion by putting up 65 on the Beavers. Holiday Bowl next?
18. Oklahoma State– Step for step with the Sooners until mid-4th quarter. Await post season bowl selection.
19. Virginia Tech– Win Coastal division of the ACC with late win over rival Virginia. Play BC next week for ACC title.
20. Iowa– Season completed at 8-4. Await a Florida bowl game vs. SEC or Alamo vs. Big 12.
21. Ball State– Buffalo pulls a shocking upset as Turner Gill’s Bulls get it done in just three years.
22. California – Crush hapless Washington, 48-7. Huskies worst team in history at 0-12.
23. Pittsburgh – Beat Connecticut on the road to close out an impressive year and grab probable Sun Bowl.
24. Mississippi – Already finished season last week to go 8-4. Probable Capital One or Blockbuster Bowl vs. Big Ten.
25. Missouri – Sad ending for a once high-expectation Missouri. Lose Big 12 title game to Oklahoma, 62-21.
Ranks: 26-50.
Michigan State, Boston College, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arizona, Florida State, Rice, Nebraska, Maryland, West Virginia,
Western Michigan, LSU, Clemson, Tulsa, Wake Forest, Air Force, Kansas, Nevada, South Carolina, Houston, Navy, Wisconsin, Central Michigan, Troy, Buffalo.