As we wind down the bowl season, I ask this question. Naturally, there is still one big game left but I fear that unless either Ohio State or LSU comes out with a dominating win, this season’s national champion will have a big question mark next to it. And with the way the media has treated Ohio State lately, even if LSU comes out big, their still will be those who question.
Let’s take a moment to role through the bowl games so far and see what they have to tell. I’ll start with Michigan:
Michigan vs. Florida
If anyone read my earlier post, you can see that I am a little surprised by this game. I honestly didn’t think that Michigan had it in them. They did their best to throw it away with four turnovers and two fumbles that they recovered, I really didn’t think they would pull if off. For the first time in at least the last two years, the Wolverines figured out how to stop a spread offense and a quarter back that can run. The Michigan defense played a good game and I have to give them credit.
My hat is off to Michigan. I will always root for Big Ten over SEC even if it is that school up north.
And I also bid a fond farewell to Loyd Carr and the entire Michigan coaching staff. You guys have been a great asset to the Buckeyes the past few years and you will be missed.
USC vs. Illinois
The talking heads out there will try to claim that USC is the best in the land but a big win over Illinois really doesn’t prove anything. Yes, Illinois beat Ohio State but it was a different game at a different time. I am still somewhat disappointed that the Buckeyes didn’t get a shot at USC in the Rose Bowl. While I should be getting pumped up for the big game tomorrow, does anybody other than Ohio State or LSU fans really care? New Year’s day is the time for big bowl games and USC/Ohio State in the Rose would have been a classic. Instead, we got a good Illinois but really a second tier Big Ten team. Even a Michigan/USC rematch might have been a better game. And what a story line that would have been. Michigan gets a chance at redemption as the coaching staff/senior class goes out the door.
This biggest problem with this loss is that no matter how badly the Buckeyes beat LSU, the USC media machine will still be crowing about Southern Cal because of the Buckeye loss to Illinois.
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma
Wow. Was I impressed by West Virginia. I thought that West Virgina played a game similar to Missouri and Oklahoma handled Missouri pretty well. Add to that the fact that the West Virgina coaching staff (along with some new recruits) was being torn apart by now Michigan coach Rigch Rodriguez and you’ve got a West Virgina embarrassments in the making. The Mountain Men were to have none of that and came out dominant. They ran the ball down the Sooner’s throats and walked away proud. If anyone other than Ohio State/LSU gets a shot at #1, you have to look at West Virgina. If you’re going by bowl appearances alone, what a great showing. The picked up the pieces of a broken program and played like champions.
Virgina Tech vs. Kansas
There was actually a Virgina Tech fan prowling this forum for a while saying that VT was number one and it was a good thing the Buckeyes didn’t have to play them. Yeah, the final score of the Orange Bowl was close but let’s face it, Virgina Tech looked like crap. To be honest, I really don’t need to waste my time with this one.
Hawaii vs. Georgia
Well, Hawaii was undefeated going into this game. 41-10. Enough said.
Kentucky vs. Florida State
Did anyone else enjoy watching Kentucky win as much as I did. There is something about Florida State that I really don’t like. Sure, they were missing 30 some players and considering the situation, they played very well — end zone dives and all (oh yeah, I remember what I don’t like about FSU). Kentucky, the team that beat LSU, got pretty lucky on this one.
Some other games to mention:
Navy came so close. I really wanted to see my local boys do well. Navy Coach Paul Johnson has done some great things for the Navy program and it is tough to see him go. However, as I mentioned earlier this year, it is hard to keep a successful coach at a program like Navy.
Boise State got beat by East Carolina? Didn’t see that coming.
Good to see Purdue win but by three points over Central Michigan? Doesn’t do much for the Big Ten.
I really thought Michigan State could beat Boston and they gave them a game. I still think MSU will be a threat in the Big Ten in the near future.
Good to see Penn State take down Texas AM. A quality Big Ten win.
Alabama struggled against Colorado more than expected. SEC speed….right…
If Ohio State can go in tomorrow night and give LSU the smack down the SEC deserves, than there shouldn’t be any questions. There will be though. No matter how many times I post the pictures of the Miami pass interference call, the Buckeye’s last national championship still gets called upon.
Maybe my Dad has it right when he says, “Who cares about #1. We need to throw all this garbage out and just go back to the good old days when it was the Big Ten and the Pac Ten in the Rose Bowl and nothing else mattered.”
And you know what, I think he’s right.
