The 2007 college football season is nearly over—but there are still numerous questions to be answered.
To wit:
Who deserves to play for the National Championship?
Why is there no playoff system yet?
And is the Heisman going to go to a player who's really earned it?Let's tackle those brainteasers one at a time...
The BCS Championship Game will feature...
West Virginia and Ohio State.
Missouri, you had a great season—but Oklahoma, with Sam Bradford back at the helm, will again prove too much for you in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Remember when everyone assumed LSU, USC, Oklahoma, Michigan, and West Virginia would roll through the season undefeated? It seems like years ago—and it made sense at the time.
Who would have guessed that this would be the most unpredictable college football season in recent memory?
My theory is that the combination of top programs in rebuilding mode and midlevel teams on the rise laid the groundwork for the upsets. Expect a return to normalcy next year, when programs like Florida, USC, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and possibly West Virginia will get all or most of their key players back.
Back to this year—what have West Virginia and Ohio State proven thus far?
They've both played weak schedules and lost to teams they should've beaten—but the only team you can't say that about is Hawaii...and the Warriors don't belong in the top two.
All told, WVU and OSU have done what they needed to—and so long as Mizzou loses, the Mountaineers and Buckeyes will meet in New Orleans for a shot at all the marbles.
Imagine a playoff...
Consisting of the top 16—or even the top eight—teams in country.
Teams like Georgia, USC, Hawaii, and Florida would all have shots at the title, as each is playing its best football of the year.
Would USC and Florida be underdogs against the current top-three teams if they were to play this weekend?
There'd certainly be no clear favorite. Not only would a playoff be good for the sport—it would also make more money for the schools and conferences. And isn't that what the head guys really care about?
It blows my mind that we're still relying on human polls and computer formulas to decide the top-two teams. If Missouri does win the Big 12 title game, who's to say which of the one-loss teams deserve to play in New Orleans?
And can you really keep telling undefeated teams like Auburn, Utah, Boise State, and most recently Hawaii that they're too small to possibly be the best team in the country?
The Heisman should go to...
Tim Tebow.
Tebow's stats are ridiculous. He's second in the country in passing efficiency—after critics claimed he was nothing more than a glorified fullback.
As it stands, Tebow has thrown for more TDs than Matt Leinart and rushed for more TDs than Reggie Bush in each of their Heisman years—and that despite battling injuries.
The only negatives for Tebow are that his team has three losses and he's a sophomore—but let's be serious.
Anyone who watched the games knows that it was the defense that lost them—not Tebow. And doesn't his being a sophomore make his performance even more amazing?
In his first year as a starter, against one of the toughest schedules in the nation, Tebow has produced statistics that have never been seen before.
If the Heisman goes to the player with the most big-play potential, it goes to Darren McFadden. If it goes to the QB on a team in the BCS Championship game, it goes to Chase Daniel, if Missouri beats Oklahoma.
But I say if the award goes to the best college football player in America, it goes to Tim Tebow.
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7 months ago
I completely agree with everything you said good article
7 months ago
Great article. We definitely need a playoff system - This year's NC game will not give us a true champ no matter who's playing in it. And even though I hate Tim Tebow for what he did to my Vols, he does deserve the Heisman. No one has ever rushed for 20+ TDs plus thrown for 20+ in the same season.
7 months ago
the only reason people want a playoff is... because west virginia and/or missouri is going to be in the title game. no big boys. boo-hoo. i guarantee you if lsu, usc, oklahoma, or some other 'big time school' were the top two teams, you would have no 'PLAYOFF NOW! or a writer's idea of a so-called great playoff system' banter. the fact is, those big boys aren't the top two teams. that is fact. that's why everyone is asking 'what if wvu AND mizzou lose this weekend?'.. they want chaos. fact is.. both teams won't lose. fact is.. wvu and mizzou's strength of schedule is not bad-contrary to what every 'little school hater/pro-playoff' guy wants you to believe. the tigers' is 34th, the mountaineers is 35th.. not too shabby, considering the only top 15 team that plays a top 20 schedule is florida-and they're 9-3.
okay.. so you probably can't understand that. but my point is this. wvu and missouri will deserve to be in the title game, no one else. even if mizzou loses and ohio state gets in, osu deserves it-like it or not. you cannot be the top team in the country if you lose more than once. no ifs, ands, buts, or playoffs about it. you only want a playoff when you aren't happy with the selection.
7 months ago
Good point anon. Hundreds of people have brought up playoff scenarios this year because they aren't satisfied with what the BCS championship game will be....this year. Remember last year? The controversy was that Michigan didn't make it over Florida. So instead of the 16 team playoff that soo many people are bringing up out of the woodworks, last year people mentioned the +1 rule, or a 4-team playoff of sorts. If people aren't satisfied with the teams in the championship game, they'll gripe about it all the way home, but the argument usually pertains to the individual season.
I agree with Kevin that a 16 team playoff would work (Several other media sources have proposed something similar. Check out Yahoo's Wetzel Plan). But people are just complaining this year because there's no clear-cut dominant team or teams. If this were last year, everyone would be pulling for a 4-team playoff with OSU, USC, Florida, and Michigan....Make up your minds!
7 months ago
No doubt Tebow has been impressive. But, if you want the award to go to the best player than make no mistake that the Heisman belongs to Run DMC. If you got to playoff system than you will still have the haters that don't make the 16 or 8 teams. Lose-lose situation. Keep the tradition and the BCS!!! If Mizzou and WVU had 2 loses and USC and LSU had 1 loss there would surely not be this much talk about playoffs. Go Mizzou and GO Mountaineers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry Hawaii your schedule is 3rd worst in all of CFB!!!!
from 7 months ago
It's a lot easier to ignore the team who is 9th or 17th than the team who is 3rd when they complain about not getting their chance.
Run DMC has had 3-4 sub-par games. Plus Tebow, who is a QB, has more rushing touchdowns. Soo..
7 months ago
putting a playoff system in would destroy one of the greatest regular season sports ever. If there was a playoff system, the Missouri-Kansas game would not have been nearly as big because they know that they both would have been in the playoffs. Then u have finals, the playoff system would screw w/ that too.
Granted that a playoff system would actually give the underrated teams a chance to prove themselves, and for the overrated teams to get crushed, you would still have controversy.
How would you decide who gets into the top 8 or 16. the BCS rite, then were back where we started
7 months ago
just like anonymous said, its a lose-lose situation
7 months ago
Again, I would rather have a 2 or 3 loss team complaining than an undefeated team complaining.
And while the game may not seem as big, it would matter because of home field advantage and seeding. Plus, there would be 8 games the following week that would be even bigger than Kansas-Missouri.
7 months ago
Kevin,
There is no way you can say that Tebow is a better player than Run DMC. Tebow is awesome in that highly talented offense (weapon after weapon). Mcfadden is a beast against opponnets that key on the run all game. Win-lose record is irrelevant when it comes to a tailback who is playing by himself. Maybe Darren should be on the defense too! You can't even compare overall talent level of Florida and Arkansas. Tebow is a QB who sees every snap, just like Pat White my personal favorite. This award is not about stats or strength of schedule or record.
I hate the SEC and the lovefest they get from the media but I will give credit when it is due: #1 Run DMC; #2 Tebow; #3 Pat White or Chase Daniels. Bottomline Run DMC could start anywhere in the NFL outside of SD and Minnesota. Can that be said for Tebow a college spread system quarterback. I love Tebow man but let's be real.
from 7 months ago
Oh, does the Heisman go to the best potential NFL player? I was not aware of that. Eric Crouch and Troy Smith must have been exceptions.
Tebow and McFadden have played 6 or 7 common opponents. Tebow has 25 total touchdowns to McFaddens 6.
Will DMC make a better pro? At this point, probably. Did he have a better season than Tebow? No.
from 7 months ago
Also, Felix Jones puts up some pretty good numbers so it's hard to say DMC is the only reason their running game is so good.
7 months ago
Darren McFadden was not even in the game when the Hogs went for 2 in third OT last week. Felix Jones pushed it in from the 3--they didn't miss a beat.
Imagine Tebow trotting off the field during the most important play of the game.
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