The Thanksgiving weekend has now come and gone, and, for one, I certainly am grateful for the chance to express my opinion to be read by thousands ... um, hundreds ... okay, a couple of people. That's why I'm going to veer this column to two different areas. The first deals with a fact of sporing life that has reared its head yet again.
For all that has occurred this season around college football, the major players in the hunt for the BCS championship have all had something go in their favor. No matter how large the student body, everyone had something put in place to keep them alive to this point. So to those left after Saturday's leftovers, what are they thankful for?
Pac-10 Champion Oregon — Cal Offense and Giorgio Tavecchio
The Ducks have speed for days, and that's been too much to overcome for their foes in the Pac-10. The offense is one of the most potent in the nation, and their defense seems to stiffen more as the game goes on. However, Cal found something out. The Bears were undefeated at home going into its showdown two weeks ago, but that didn't make up for the fact that they were 5-5.
Somehow, though, Cal held Oregon to 15 points. They only allowed one offensive touchdown. And for all that ... the Bear offense couldn't take advantage. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Tavecchio lined up for a 24-yard field goal. He made it. But ... there was an inexplicable illegal motion penalty. Tavecchio missed the ensuing 29-yard attempt, and, three drives later, the Ducks ran the final 9:25 off the clock. I'm not saying that Oregon would have ultimately lost had they gone down 16-15, but it would have been interesting to find out how they played under extreme pressure.
SEC West Division Champ Auburn — Lightning in a Tank
No matter what comes to light surrounding the Tigers' quarterback, Cam Newton has been this year's Tim Tebow. The team's uncanny ability to come back from several deficits (including Friday's 24-point difference against Alabama) has been solely based on the play of Newton. Although this may come back to bite the program he plays for later on, he has been close to unstoppable in the present time. South Carolina gets another shot at him this coming Saturday. But hell, the way things go in this sport, who's to say the Tigers don't get their shot at the crown with a loss.
Mountain West Champion TCU — Nevada
What Boise State loses, the Horned Frogs gain. Over the last two seasons, the resurgent Dallas-based program has been one of the most consistent in the country (along with said Broncos). It appeared, though, as if a Boise win would have put the Smurf Turf Boys slightly ahead in the battle of "first team out." Now, the Frogs are clearly in that position. If something were to happen to Auburn or Oregon, Andy Dalton and his crew might just get their chance on the biggest stage.
Pac-10 BCS contender Stanford — A Lucky QB
The Cardinal were a team on the rise last season, but the loss of all-everything running back Toby Gerhart made some wonder if there would be a slight drop-off. However, that just brought out the skills of an all-everything quarterback in Andrew Luck. His stats (2,746 yds, 24 TD, 7 INT, 70.2 comp. %) have kept him in the minds of some of the Heisman voters that hailed him in August.
Big Ten Co-Champs Wisconsin and Ohio State — University of Iowa
Both teams had to visit Iowa City for their showdown with the Hawkeyes this season. Both teams won by very slim margins (the Badgers by 1 and the Buckeyes by 3) on short runs with under two minutes left in the game. Because of this, both teams ended up with identical records. But for this co-champ thing to work, both squads needed one more thing from the Hawkeyes.
They got it when the Black and Gold trounced Michigan State on the Spartans trip to Kinnick Stadium. Not only did this keep Sparty from running through an unblemished season, but it knocked them far enough down the totem pole that they will certainly end up the third wheel in this 11-1 (7-1) trio. Now, with Saturday's results, it appears Bucky will by Rosy and Buckeyes will fill another one of the BCS bowls. Michigan State? I've heard Orlando is lovely this time of year.
Big 12 Co-South Division Champ Oklahoma — Revisionist History
Saturday night, the Sooners continued their dominant ways over Oklahoma State, basically denying the Cowboys a shot at their first Big 12 Championship Game appearance. It also set up a three-way tie between OU, OSU, and blazing-hot Texas A&M. Do you guys remember when the last three-way divisional tie was? Try the Big 12 South, circa 2008.
That year, OU benefited from Texas' last-second loss to Texas Tech, which ended up creating the logjam between the Sooner, Longhorns, and Red Raiders. That year, Texas beat Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry contest. However, it was early enough for Boomer Sooner to recover.
This year, Texas A&M beats Oklahoma three weeks ago, but it was early enough for them to recover since Oklahoma State started a stretch (on Sept. 30th) that pushed the Aggies under the radar. In the end, it appears that the team that vanquished Oklahoma dreams of sneaking into the Championship Game won't get the chance to realize any BCS dreams of their own.
For teams such as Boise State, LSU, and Oklahoma State, their offerings of thanks were all rebuffed this weekend, even though all will have another game to prepare for. Now, I'm going to invoke the intro to the column, because it's time to give up the feeling of graciousness for a bit.
As pretty much anybody that follows college football knows by now, Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee talked about how teams such as Boise State and TCU don't deserve a shot at the national championship. If you missed the quote, here is a portion of it.
"I do know, having been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, that it's like murderer's row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor. We play very fine schools on any given day.
"So I think until a university runs through that gauntlet that there's some reason to believe that they not be the best teams to (be) in the big ballgame."
First of all, I get it. The man has had the experience of working with these BCS power conferences for years now. I'm certain that most, if not all, of the Presidents of these Universities feel the same way. Personally, I'm a fan of Missouri and an alma mater of Iowa State, two examples (although not the best ones) of teams from a power conference.
However, when you start parsing schedules and pointing to the fact that a tradition or a name means practically everything, then you have to take a second to think. I understand that there may not be as many potholes to navigate in the WAC, or the MAC, or the Sun Belt. But how can you blame them for playing in their own conference, then signing up to supposedly get pummeled by your conference?
After last summer's carousel called Conference Realignment, it's apparent that geography doesn't particularly drive the bus anymore in this sport. In this process, schools sought out the chance to "relocate," but they couldn't just go out and claim that they were shifting to a new home.
Mr. Gee, do you feel these teams need a tougher schedule? Do you believe they wouldn't have an undefeated run through your conference foes? Prove it. Unless you can come up with a new configuration that excludes the lesser conferences, invite tell the Pac-10 to invite Boise State to join. Tell the SEC or Big 12 to sign TCU up. Hell, go tell Jim Delaney to open your conference's doors to Ohio or Temple. All this is doing is inviting these programs to the party and not letting them in the door. You don't think someone would eventually complain or smash a window to get in? Wouldn't you be insulted if you were in that position?
Do I expect you and your buddies to do this? No. That would mean giving up too much of the pie for you guys. But until you extend a solution, might I advise that you please refrain from talking out of both sides of your mouth, sir. It just isn't as well arranged as that bow tie of yours.
Maybe that's why I'm truly grateful for college basketball.
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