Year of Attrition
Or the year of the underdogs. What a year in college football. #’s 1 and 2 have never been so unstable that in the end, who knows who could be at the championship game. All year long no one wanted to be #2 as they lost weekly. App State took down Michigan, Stanford took down USC, underdogs ruled the year and egos trampled those who came into the games with them. Clemson’s arch rival walked its way to #6 then couldn’t remember how to win. Kansas and the Big12 really didn’t have much competition outside their own ranks and made it up into the top 5 and even had Mizzou at #1. Hawaii, the lone unbeaten team, is sitting in a corner crying about their shot at the neational championship chances, but you have no point when you play cupcake seasons. I believe that this season, beyond all seasons emphasizes the need for not only a playoff system but also a greater effort for teams to only take a few cupcake games a year instead of packing the OOC’s with them to buffer the W’s.
In the end it looks like Ohio State (my bloodline school) will back it’s way into the championship while the other slot looks destined for LSU as it had the best season of the teams that remained from the losses that found Mizzou and WVU shaking their heads. I had a great weekend rooting for teams to lose, and each did to get my teams where they needed to be. I personally will get some satisfaction in watching a certain WVU fan that left some USC/Clemson stuff on my desk before that game occurred. I will not say anything but will have fun watching the ribbing that he will receive from the others.
With BC’s loss to Virginia Tech, Clemson looks to be Chick-Fil-A bound and it may be a Tiger Bowl as they may face Auburn. That should be a great crowd and a great payoff for Clemson this season.
That was a great season. College football, what a great sport.
Great season, no doubt. On the Hawaii debate, everyone comments on their schedule, what a lot of people don’t realize is how hard it is for them to get anyone to come play or even schedule them. It’s an expensive trip to the islands, the big boys don’t get credit for beating them, and on any given Saturday Hawaii will beat you right now. With their schedule alone, Hawaii was going to travel over 35K miles jsut for their games this year. I would be surprised if any of the original ACC (not BC or Miami) traveled more than 5K. With Brennan being done, they will have a drop off but this program is much like a Texas Tech and will continue to be a thorn for anyone who plays them. They did have two I-AA schools, one was picked up in like June though.
That changes next year but they will be down. I would like to see them play their 08 season with the 07 team.
I think Hawaii deserves a shot at one of the non national championship BCS games, given that they are all simply glamor exhibitions anyway. That comeback against Washington last night was pretty good.
Hawaii would get taken to the clearners b LSU, VT, Ohio State, BC, UGA and yes even Clemson any day of the week on any playing field. In this PC world we are starting to live in I am not about to say they should play in the national championship game, an at large BCS bowl bid is fine (Drunken is right on). The bottom line here is they have to live with the fact they are 1,500 miles away in the middle of the Pacific, every player made the willing decision to play football there and most importantly the schedule is one of the worst in the country.
My only point with Hawaii is that they aren’t a non conference team you schedule expecting to get your W and go home (Mac, Subbelt, most of their WAC brethern). At the same time they don’t garner enough media attention/respect to help the cause if you do win, and it’s a huge mark against you if you lose, unlike playing an Alabama, WVU, Texas A&M, etc as an early out of conference game to spice things up.