Anything Can Happen

There was no way USC was going to lose to UCLA. They were going to rollover the Bruins, lockdown that #2 BCS spot, and book a ticket to Glendale, Arizona for a shot at the National Championship. Everyone was happy and the BCS was saved for at least one more year. Of course its never that simple in college football. Ask head coach Karl Dorrell if there was any way UCLA could’ve beaten the Trojans. Ask Pete Carroll the same question and you’d get the same answer. Ask Lloyd Carr if one game can change a rivalry. Ask Urban Meyer if his team deserves to play in the National Championship, or ask Jim Tressel what an underdog can do in the desert. My point is this, in college football, on any given day, anything can happen.

UCLA’s upset over USC sent shock waves through the NCAA and sent the BCS into an absolute frenzy. In the end, Florida won the popular vote against Michigan and will face The Ohio State University for the National Championship. But did the BCS get it right? I think so. Out of 4 teams that had a chance at the title game, Ohio State and Florida each won their last game, while Michigan and USC each lost their last game. Michigan’s only loss came in the Horseshoe to the #1 team in the country by 3 points, while Florida’s only loss came on the road in Auburn, on a controversial call in the closing minutes. Now, since its ridiculous to compare who should play for the national title by deciding who had the better loss, let’s see who had a tougher schedule. Florida finished with a 3-1 record against ranked teams, while Michigan finished with a 1-1 record. Florida defeated 9 bowl eligible teams (faced 10) while Michigan defeated 6 bowl eligible teams (faced 7). Florida won their Conference, Michigan didn’t.

So forgive me if I don’t feel the least bit sorry for the Maze and Blue. In fact, forgive me for enjoying it too much (You know in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, when Clark Griswold opens up his Christmas bonus, only to find it’s a 12-month subscription to the Jelly-of-the-Month club? I like to picture Lloyd Carr watching the BCS Selection show, expecting a bid to the National Championship game, getting the Rose Bowl game, then completely losing it - kicking everything thing in site, stumbling over to the side, and taking a giant swig of eggnog, “It’s good, it’s good!")! Old Lloyd should be happy it isn’t 10 years ago. If it was, the bowl picture would look like this; Ohio State would be playing USC in the Rose Bowl, Florida would be playing in the Sugar Bowl, and Michigan would be stuck in Tampa playing for the Outback Bowl. So get over it! Go win the Rose Bowl and prove you deserve to play on January 8th. Until then, take it like a man (By the way, seeing how things shook out this year, I think we might be on the verge of getting even with Michigan for all those John Cooper years…but, not quite yet).

The last thing I’ll say about the BCS is this: Its pretty close to getting this whole College Football National Championship thing right. I would have no problem with using polls to decide the rankings, if it weren’t for people like Jim Walden. Who is Jim Walden and why does Iowa State’s old Head Coach have anything to do with the 2006 National Championship you ask? Well, he voted in the Harris Poll and his top 3 went like this - 1) Florida, 2) Ohio State, 3) Michigan. What? Florida is #1? Shenanigans! Yet, this is someone who has a say in who should play in the National Championship. And as long as you give dopes like Jim Walden a voice, the system will always be flawed.

Regardless, we finally have our match up. The Ohio State Buckeyes will face the Florida Gators on January 8th in Glendale, Arizona for all the Tostitos. But if you can’t wait until then, wet your whistle on December 23rd. That’s when Greg Oden and the rest of the Scarlet and Gray Basketball Team head to a hostile Gainesville to face the Gators on the hardwood floor (By the way, one of the most interesting storylines that absolutely nobody is talking about is when Oden came to Columbus, the hot topic was “Could the Buckeyes win the Football and Basketball Championship in the same year?” At the time, I shrugged it off as being ridiculous, until I saw both teams play. Now I think it could potentially happen. But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend!” Look who just won the National Championship in Basketball and is now playing for the National Championship in Football – yep, you guessed it. I don’t really know how I feel about that, but it is definitely interesting).

Let me close with a warning to Buckeye Nation. We have a chance to do something great - no team has ever beaten three teams ranked #2 in the same season. But don't look past the Gators. For the next 32 days, they'll hear about how they don’t belong in the National Championship. For the next 32 days, when our guys are collecting trophies, Florida will be hearing about how they don’t even belong on the same field as this Ohio State team. For the next 32 days, these Gators will here about how there is no way they can win. So just remember…in college football, on any given day, anything can happen…especially in January…especially in Arizona. Just ask Larry Coker.