2007 Bye Week Edition - 11/19/07
Okay. Today we celebrate my predictive abilities that had Oregon and Oklahoma in the BCS final ... In all seriousness, what a bizarre year it continues to be for college football. With USC having had a bye this weekend, expect a shorter-than-normal musings, but prepare for a double issue next week, which will not only cover the Thanksgiving match-up between USC and Arizona State, but will also serve as my UCLA Week issue in anticipation of the December 1 match-up against the bRuins. In the meantime, let's go around the country ...
- Three #2 teams in the country this year have been beaten by unranked Pac-10 teams. Of course, all three of those #2 teams in the country were also Pac-10 teams, but my point remains the same. In the SEC they call it, "parity". In the Pac-10, they call it "mediocrity". This year of all years is the wrong time for SEC folks to be cocky. Maybe next year.
- If USC were blessed to play a SEC team in the post-season, I would rather play any school in that conference than Georgia, though I'd love to play them too. They, above all the other SEC teams with numerous losses, seem to be playing the best football right now.
- Will Miles pull a Saban? Can't wait to see ...
- I hate to say it, but Lloyd Carr leaving is the right thing. Michigan has been too underwhelming, too weak in bowl games, too inferior to their rival, and too unconcerned about defending their home field, for too long.
- Speaking of Michigan and Ohio State, that game had the same excitement level to me as watching C-Span when Congress is not even in session. I can not believe those Big-10 folks have stayed fans of college football. The great lie is that, "we are a defensive conference". I saw what Florida did to Ohio State's defense, and I saw what USC did to Michigan's defense. They are not a defensive conference -they are a "boring as hell" conference. There is a remarkable lack of speed on both of these team's offenses, and there is offensive creativity that makes Steve Sarkisian look like June Jones.
- For folks who do not want to see a playoff (and I mean this in the context of my proposal that protects the bowl system, and creates an 8-team bracket playoff), I can only say this: West Virginia and Kansas may play each other in the national championship. If any of you feel that both of those teams would survive an 8-team bracket that included LSU, Oklahoma, and USC in it, call me.
- It does appear LSU will be in the national title game, unless Tennessee loses, and Georgia gets to play LSU in the SEC championship. Tennessee's 4th quarter comeback to beat Vanderbilt by 1 means they will likely play LSU in the SEC championship, and I see that being a 30-point LSU win. I think Georgia could beat LSU.
- Congratulations to Duke and UCLA, two of the finest basketball schools in the country, who have never cared about football, but have always excelled at basketball, and proved such this year by being the only two schools on the planet to lose to Notre Dame. Stanford, don't let me down ....
- What a difference a month makes. The chatter has gone from, "USC has to sit Booty", to, "would USC be undefeated if he had never gotten injured?". Funny.
- Cal does not hold their head up well after tough losses, I will say that.
- I have no idea who I would cast my Heisman vote for, if I actually had one. Frankly, I have to say Tebow of Florida would get a strong consideration, especially if they had one less loss than they do. A sophomore deserves it if that sophomore is better than the junior and senior contenders, and he may be. I can't see who else deserves it, particularly with Dixon now out for the year.
- And yes, Oregon is very, very capable of losing one or two more games. USC, of course, has no choice but to root for them to lose once more (and preferably against UCLA so we can go into our final game controlling our own destiny). The problem is this: We have to beat those pesky Sun Devils first, and I can't imagine UCLA beating Oregon. But they are not very good without Dixon, and UCLA is a better team in the Rose Bowl than they are outside of it. I will be rooting for Oregon to lose, if you know what I mean ...
- I am going to provide a detailed autobiography next week as to where my hatred for UCLA comes from. This will be a special, commercial-free, double bonus issue!
- The question I have about the current system is, IF USC wins out (by no means a foregone conclusion), and IF Oregon also wins out, as the Rose Bowl selects Pac-10 co-champ, Oregon, will another BCS bowl select USC? I can almost guarantee one will. But it will not be The Rose Bowl, and that is the unparalleled grand-daddy of them all. There is NOTHING like The Rose Bowl on January 1. At this point, all bowl concerns have to be sequestered, and we simply need to finish 10-2. The rest will work out, and Carroll's dynasty will be stronger than ever.
- My recommendation to UCLA - Troy Aikman. The prediction I have made since 1996, IN WRITING: Ricky Neuheisel is coming back to Los Angeles.
As you enter your Thanksgiving holiday, and prepare to eat the greatest meal of the year, on the greatest holiday of the year, in the greatest nation on God's green earth, say a prayer of gratitude for the sport of college football. Who could ask for anything more?
I guess a USC whooping of the the party kids in Tempe would be icing on the pumpkin pie ...
Happy Thanksgiving, and Fight on!