Week #12 did not disappoint:
- With Gurley back in action Georgia shut down any hopes Auburn had. The Tigers scored on their first possession...and that was that. "Game control" defined.
- FSU pulls another rabbit out of the hat; this time in Miami. (How deep is that hat?).
- Bama pulls off the upset over MSU (as many expected). But deep down we all wanted to see a shift of power in the SEC-West to one of those Mississippi schools. Saban, of course, will have none of that on his watch.
- Arkansas ends its SEC losing streak in serious fashion with a shutout of LSU.
- FSU wins in the final seconds (again) with a field goal against un-ranked BC.
- #8 Ole Miss shut out by Arkansas (their 2nd shut out against an SEC team in as many weeks). They are finally coming into their own. Can they keep up the pace in Missouri next week?
- Missouri is looking good down the stretch (dang it) and poised to co-headline the SEC Conference Championship for the 2nd time in their three years in the SEC. (Of course, I'm still pulling for an Arkansas upset to send Georgia there instead).
- UCLA is also showing up as the team everyone expected in August.
- Ohio State had a scare...but still winning and winning with true freshmen.
- Oregon continues their roll, Utah lost it's magic, so did Notre Dame.
Are cupcakes healthy for the sport?
There was a lot of talk this past week about the way SEC schools have scheduled the so-called "cupcake" teams for late in the season instead of early (like in years past). This started with Whiner Meyer in 2006 or so when the SEC prohibited idle weeks before the big end of the season games (Iron Bowl, GA vs GaTech, etc.). College GameDay went so far as to have all four panelists rail on the playing cupcakes at all...that it was "bad for the sport" and such.
I disagree. If the big boys don't ever let the little boys play then how are the little boys going to get better? They won't. The rich will keep getting richer and the poor will never have a shot. We've all rooted for the underdog and sometimes the big boys are humbled by the underdogs. That is what is good for the sport. A little reminder that on any given Saturday you, too, can be beat by anyone.
So give the cupcakes a shot once or twice a year. They need the experience, they need the money and every little guy needs a chance to shine. Sure, schedule the best cupcake you can find* and who knows, maybe they'll teach you a thing or two.
*I'll pardon BYU for playing 0-11 Savannah State this year since it was a last minute schedule change due to a MWC opponent bowing out.