It happens every year...I wake up the Saturday after Conference Championship weekend and wonder what I used to do on Saturdays. For the last 15 Saturdays I have either been going to a game, watching a game or both. Guess it's time to get ready for Christmas (the second most wonderful time of the year).
The 35 bowls are now set (you can join our Yahoo! Bowl Pick'Em Contest by clicking HERE) and the Heisman Trophy sits atop the Manziel's mantle. It's that time of year to speculate about bowl games, whine about the dumb match-ups (BCS and otherwise), watch the start-up of the annual coaching carousel, talk about "maybe next year" (for those teams who under-performed), and then sit back and hope our team makes good at season end.
B O W L W R A P
There will be some good ones I am looking forward to Oregon vs K-State since a few weeks ago that is what many of us thought was going to be the championship game. The BCS got that one right. Other games, I'm looking forward to:
And I like Dr. Saturday's views on five bowls match-ups that should have been: click HERE.
W E E K L Y W H I N E
I like Kirk Herbstreit...usually. I often side with his analysis and opinions but THIS was way out of line (advance to the 3:00 mark). What was he thinking? Not let N Illinois in when the BCS is sending 5-loss Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl? He said: "...I love MAC football, don't get me wrong. But to put them in the BCS is an absolute joke to the rest of the teams that are more deserving." Where is the joke? It's the BCS system that is the joke. Sure there are some great teams being left out of BCS bowls but their win/loss record didn't fit into the rules and N Illinois' record did.
We live (and die) by the BCS rules. Don't fuss at the BCS - fuss at the 120+ coaches that signed the agreement to abide by their stupid system. And be a little more professional next time. (And by the way, Kirk, as you were listing the examples of BCS busters in the past you mentioned BYU...which has never been a BCS buster.)
E N D Z O N E
I was glad to see the Heisman voters set aside tradition of giving the trophy to a Jr or Sr in favor of giving to whom it rightfully belongs: the most exciting player in college football. (Although it would have been nice to see a departure from offense to defense). Teo and Klein and others were great to watch and all were very deserving but this seasons excitement belonged to Johnny.
The 35 bowls are now set (you can join our Yahoo! Bowl Pick'Em Contest by clicking HERE) and the Heisman Trophy sits atop the Manziel's mantle. It's that time of year to speculate about bowl games, whine about the dumb match-ups (BCS and otherwise), watch the start-up of the annual coaching carousel, talk about "maybe next year" (for those teams who under-performed), and then sit back and hope our team makes good at season end.
B O W L W R A P
There will be some good ones I am looking forward to Oregon vs K-State since a few weeks ago that is what many of us thought was going to be the championship game. The BCS got that one right. Other games, I'm looking forward to:
- Toeldo v Utah Sate: Hope USU pulls this off and gets some much deserved respect.
- BYU v SDSU: With the right coaching calls BYU should make a good showing.
- Baylor v UCLA: Both teams had so-so seasons but also had a few breakout games so it could get real exciting.
- USC v GaTech: The pre-season favorite and now un-ranked and still defenseless USC could struggle with an option attack.
- UGA v Nebraska: This one should be a good match-up of two teams that expected to be in BCS bowls and will now be playing to show that they belonged.
- N Illinois v FSU: See comments below but it'd be great to see NIU pull this one off.
- TA&M v Oklahoma: Any game with Manziel is fun to watch.
And, of course, the championship game. Two teams, lots of history, lots of stats, lots of stars, but the two have had such different opponents it is tough to say who is better. And that is why we play the game. My take? I think 'Bama will pull this off a bit easier than most expect.
And I like Dr. Saturday's views on five bowls match-ups that should have been: click HERE.
W E E K L Y W H I N E
I like Kirk Herbstreit...usually. I often side with his analysis and opinions but THIS was way out of line (advance to the 3:00 mark). What was he thinking? Not let N Illinois in when the BCS is sending 5-loss Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl? He said: "...I love MAC football, don't get me wrong. But to put them in the BCS is an absolute joke to the rest of the teams that are more deserving." Where is the joke? It's the BCS system that is the joke. Sure there are some great teams being left out of BCS bowls but their win/loss record didn't fit into the rules and N Illinois' record did.
We live (and die) by the BCS rules. Don't fuss at the BCS - fuss at the 120+ coaches that signed the agreement to abide by their stupid system. And be a little more professional next time. (And by the way, Kirk, as you were listing the examples of BCS busters in the past you mentioned BYU...which has never been a BCS buster.)
I was glad to see the Heisman voters set aside tradition of giving the trophy to a Jr or Sr in favor of giving to whom it rightfully belongs: the most exciting player in college football. (Although it would have been nice to see a departure from offense to defense). Teo and Klein and others were great to watch and all were very deserving but this seasons excitement belonged to Johnny.