Another Nebulous Finish

Last year, there seemed to be no champion. This year, there are arguably three. Maybe four.

But since the BCS pretends it can do the impossible (choosing two teams that are the clear-cut best out of 119), we are left with the same empty feeling in the pit of the stomach at the end. Unless, of course, a photo of Tim Tebow adorns your mantle.

The BCS title game did nothing to assuage the weighty sense of unfinished business. Neither Oklahoma, with its missed opportunities and inability to stop the Gators late, nor Florida, which could have easily gone into halftime down 21-7 and struggled to establish a ground game until the end, looked particularly impressive. Even god, er, I mean Tim Tebow, didn't exactly set the world on fire, throwing two picks while completing 18-of-30 passes and averaging 7.7 yards per attempt. All while the announcers continued to tout his infallibility and possibly his potential for canonization.

(SIDE RANT: I have less against Tebow than I do against FOX announcers in general. Tebow might get a free pass and completely ignored when he excessively celebrates in ways that would get most others flagged (finally drawing a garbage-time flag for taunting a Sooner late with a Gator Chomp ... stay classy.) But the announcers basically spent most of their time cramming Tebow down our throats (reading his stump speech after the Ole Miss loss in full, just seconds before showing the clip of the speech in full), while ignoring what surely were some other compelling storylines. Oh, and the announcers couldn't count downs on a GOAL TO GO SITUATION. ESPN can't take over BCS games soon enough; the FOX commentary is absolutely wretched and actually makes Brent Musburger sound like Keith Jackson. This was the FOX team that two years ago butchered Ian Johnson's wedding proposal when Chris Myers blurted it out before Johnson could get to a knee. And it is a network that doesn't cover a single college game during the regular season. But I digress.)

The point the title game illustrated, though, was that no one watching could honestly say that no other team could walk into that stadium and beat either contestant. Especially if that someone had watched USC dismantle Penn State. Or watched unbeaten Utah completely pick apart Alabama, which, by the way, played Florida very tough.

Texas, based on wins and losses, also merits at least an honorable mention. But their style points suffered under the weight of their narrow escape (by a half a yard on a fourth down during the final drive) over BCS punching bag Ohio State. A team Penn State beat and USC obliterated. It's too bad that we have to dock for style points, but that's all we really have. And if Ohio State doesn't play its safeties just eight yards off the ball at the 26 with less than :25 left and Texas needing a TD and then blow a routine tackle on a routine quick slant, the Buckeyes probably win. So no, Mack Brown, you can't expect credibility when you say, "I don't think there is a team in this country that can beat us right now." Especially when you go back on your word and don't vote for Texas at No. 1.

In any case, Texas won the same share of the national title that Utah and USC did: zero. In hindsight, USC would probably be favored over any of the other contenders at a neutral site, because as they showed Penn State, no one prepares his team for January football better than Pete Carroll. Utah, meanwhile, didn't lose in any month. Unlike Utah's win over Pitt under Urban Meyer, and unlike in Boise State's win over Oklahoma, Utah beat a one-loss, top-five, truly elite level team. And they beat them senseless.

And with wins over TCU, Oregon State, and BYU, their schedule, while not brutal, was not devoid of challenges, either.

What makes this year different from snubs of previous years is the reduced margin for error and gap between accomplishments. Last year, teams left out of the title game lost at least two games. Blame yourself if you think you can complain with two losses. But the undefeated season, with an era of increased parity and reduced scholarships, is a rare beast. Utah did it. USC had one bad half derail its hopes. But both teams in the title game also had a blemish, and after watching the Pac-10 go 5-0 in bowls (albeit not the toughest bowl slate, but not a cakewalk, either) it seems critics may have been hasty in equating it to the MAC.

The question USC fans must wonder is why a road loss to a nine-win Oregon State team is worse than a home loss to nine-win Mississippi? Or a loss to a Big 12 team, which, even among the Big Four, didn't have a single impressive bowl showing and won just once game, Texas' win over Ohio State?

So the dossier gets longer, although it doesn't mean that we get closer to a playoff. Perhaps the plus-one proposal emerges again, but it would be a long shot at best. But bringing in the top four teams rather than just the top two, and making them come from four different conferences, would have pitted Oklahoma vs. Utah and USC vs. Florida. And we would have a much better idea who should really be hoisting the crystal. Plus, the magic of bowl season would remain intact for the rest of the nation's teams.

And following last year's modeling of renaming a bunch of bowls after the fact to take out some of the ridiculous corporate names (Eagle Bank Bowl the newest entry), here is a rundown of the rest of the bowl action.

The Holy-Crap-Bowl-Season-Started-Already Bowl

Also known as the "Do we really have to play them again?" Bowl; the most interesting thing about this bowl was Riley Skinner's 11-for-11 passing day as Wake Forest beat Navy, 29-19, to avenge their embarrassing home loss to the Middies on Sept. 27.

The Johnson Bowl

For the second season in a row, an early bowl out West served as a statistically silly coming out party for a low-profile running back in a great game with a dramatic finish. After Chris Johnson helped ECU edge Boise State in Hawaii last year, another Johnson picked up where Chris left off in New Mexico. Colorado State's Gartrell Johnson broke off 285 yards on 27 carries during the Rams' 40-35 win over Fresno State. Perhaps it's only coincidence that another WAC run defense was the victim after Johnson gashed the Broncos for 223. Or perhaps not. Perhaps some more contact drills leading up to bowls?

By the way, Gartrell and Chris finished their senior seasons with their only thousand-yard season; 1,473 and 1,476 yards, respectively, and finished within about 200 yards of each other in career yards. Not to say that this new Johnson will go on to come within 60 yards of a rookie rushing title, but who knows. Although it doesn't help that he can't run a 4.2 like the Titans' speedster.

The Best Bowl You Didn't Tivo

TCU took down Boise State, 17-16, in an extremely well played bowl known to most as the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. A formerly undefeated team that beat a very good (although at the time, banged up) Oregon team, was knocked off by a Mountain West team that pounded Stanford and BYU, and came within a field goal of beating Utah, as we learned no small task. As far as pre-Christmas Bowl games go, it doesn't get much better than two top-11 teams.

Basically, the quality of the game indicated what many out West already knew; the top of the WAC and especially Mountain West is more than capable of competing with the big boys. And as we found out later, their BCS rep went and proved it. And did we mention the Mountain West plays some defense? Boise State mounted just 250 yards, and just 28 on the ground.

The Finally Bowl

Notre Dame beats a mediocre Hawaii team to end its bowl win drought. And Irish nation can't figure out which was worse; the drought itself or having to resort to beating a team like Hawaii in a bowl like the Hawaii Bowl to end it. What does it mean? It means Notre Dame had the same success this year parallel to Kentucky, Southern Miss, and Colorado State. Not exactly a royal family. Perhaps advertising for the new book "The New Gold Standard: Charlie Weis and Notre Dame's Rise to Glory" was a bit premature, ESPN.com. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. Unless you are a delusional Domer, of course.

The Not Yet Bowl

Northwestern also has a bowl win drought ... only this one stretches to the Truman Administration. And despite a strong effort, an awful day from Used-to-Be Heisman Candidate Chase Daniel and a Mizzou defense that couldn't tackle a cripple in the first half, Mizzou still pulled it out in overtime. Ah, well, maybe next year, Northwestern ... or maybe not.

The Don't Blink Bowl

In probably the most exciting December Bowl game (and there was ample competition) Pat White finished his career in pretty much the same way he started it: by dominating. Only this time, he used his arm more than his legs as West Virginia beat North Carolina, 31-30, in Charlotte. White won his fourth bowl game by completing 26-of-32 passes for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns in a whiplash-inducing game with two ties and seven lead changes. The game was the final chapter in a legendary career, and has to leave his program's fans apprehensive about what the Mountaineers will do without him. White put West Virginia back on the football map, and at worst, was the best player to don a Mountaineer uniform since Sam Huff. He had more direct impact on that program than any single player has had on a program in recent memory.

White stole the show from Tar Heel receiver Hakeem Nicks, who caught 8 balls for 217 yards and 3 scores, including a behind-the-back catch that will be on highlight rules for, oh, about a decade.

The What If Bowl

North Carolina State was rolling right along as Russell Wilson led the Wolfpack to a 17-6 lead over Rutgers. But then he went down in the second quarter, and it set the stage for Mike Teel to lead the Scarlet Knights back in another great bowl game.

Wilson's injury didn't take away from the type of breakout season, especially in the second half of the year, that the redshirt freshman had. The dual-threat is the best quarterback in the ACC, hands down, and after the team started slow, the 'Pack was as tough as anyone in the ACC. To give an idea of how good Wilson is, after watching Ohio State's much more heralded dual-threat, Terrelle Pryor, Wilson is simply better. Wilson threw 1 interception to 17 touchdown passes this year. And his elusiveness, speed, and athleticism are on line with Pryor's. Oh, and I doubt you will see Wilson ducking out of bounds with space two yards before a first down marker in a bowl game the way Pryor did twice against Texas. NC State may be an interesting team to watch next year, and Wilson will certainly be worth the price of admission.

The Wind Bowl

The AFC Championship Game will even out-score this one, and that's saying something. Heck, hockey teams outscore this one. Oregon State 3, Pitt 0. We knew going in that Oregon State was without both Rogers brothers, weakening their receivers and running game. But even with Wind taking over as the critical element of the Sun Bowl, no one would have predicted a 3-0 game against two ranked teams.

The Bowl-Pick'em Buster Bowl

Georgia Tech ran the ball all over Georgia in the last game of the year. Then a team, LSU, that had been considerably weaker than Georgia this year with no truly impressive wins, goes to Atlanta to play the Yellow Jackets right in their backyard. And somehow, Georgia Tech couldn't find the Georgia Dome. The Jackets gave up 28 second quarter points and turned a high confidence game for many into a laugher and red mark high on their list of picks.

Basically, it came down to the fact that Paul Johnson's team is still young. It would be a mistake to say Tech was exposed as a fraud; mistakes like turnovers and returns that leave short fields against an athletic team like LSU will bury any team quick. And running offenses are not built for comebacks. The team will learn and be a tough out again next year in the ACC, where a whole class of near contenders (North Carolina, Miami, Florida State, North Carolina State) seems to be on the rise.

Oh, and you think LSU wishes it had gone to Jordan Jefferson over Jarrett Lee at quarterback a wee bit sooner?

The "Is This Really a BCS?" Bowl

Virginia Tech 20, Cincinnati 7. Great story for the Cincinnati fan base to get there. Other than that ... yawn. The Big East is officially weaker at the top than the Mountain West, especially with Pat White out of the conference.

The Can-We-Please-Play-Someone-Else Bowl

USC went to the Rose Bowl again. And for the third straight year, the Big Ten sent a sacrificial lamb.

This time Penn State was supposed to be different. This was a team that was a field goal away from a perfect season and a title game bid. Explosive on offense and stout on D, this was a more complete Big Ten team. And USC still used JoePa's crew as a punching bag. USC can blame itself for not showing up against Oregon State. Not a lot of people would pick Oklahoma over USC in the title game right now, either.

The Lee Corso Bowl

Most assumed Texas would walk on Ohio State in the big game like Florida, LSU, and USC before them. But, as the ESPN analyst says, "not so fast, my friend." Ohio State slows down the Colt McCoy show as the Longhorns' lack of an elite playmaker outside of its quarterback is truly exposed. But Colt laughs last as Ohio State's defense comes up one stop short. On the other side of the ball, Terrelle Pryor looks scared from the opening drive, can't find a receiver in a uniform matching his own to save his life, and Ohio State's offense becomes painfully predictable as Todd Boeckman rotates in and out of the game. Especially after Beanie Wells goes down with an injury.

To think, if Oregon State beats Oregon in their final game, they go to the Rose Bowl and USC likely meets Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. Think USC has offensive identity issues against the Longhorns the way Ohio State did?

The Validation Bowl

Undefeated Utah's appearance in the Sugar Bowl didn't seem much different to most fans than Hawaii's last year. But anyone that followed Utah this year knew that Utah, unlike Hawaii, plays defense. And well. The Mountain West Conference is simply, at the top at least, a very solid conference. Utah, BYU, and TCU would all survive and even be very competitive in pretty much any conference more years than not. The supposed speed and size difference sure wasn't very apparent in New Orleans.

But all that said, no non-BCS team had beaten an elite team. And Utah simply outclassed a one-loss team from what is generally considered the toughest, fastest most athletic conference in the country. Go figure that two programs largely built up by Urban Meyer were the only two to beat 'Bama. He must be popular in Tuscaloosa.

It turns out that the gap between the conferences is not as wide as was initially believed. The SEC had a top team crushed by a Mountain West team, and had a team beat down by a middle-class Big Ten team (Iowa over South Carolina). And it should have lost to a C-USA team, except that East Carolina forgot to come out of the locker room after halftime against Kentucky.

The Is-This-Really-the-Title-Game Game

While the SEC had its weak moments in bowls, at least three of its top four teams won. The Big 12 watched Oregon rounded up the Cowboys of Oklahoma State, Texas nearly choke on a Buckeye, Texas Tech couldn't put down the Ole Miss Rebels in a bowl played in its home state, and of course Oklahoma couldn't get its record-setting offense to close drives against Florida.

So Florida remains standing, Tebow has another title, and college football fans wonder what if. As for the wars between the conferences, all had solid victories, all had at least one loss (save the much maligned Pac-10...). And since we can't definitively say which conference is better than the other, we sure can't tell which one-loss conference champ with a BCS bowl win was truly better. And again, no one will likely do much about it.

And so the cycle continues.