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This year has been typical in that there have been many surprises for fans to talk about. Let’s recap a few of the biggest be they good or bad. 1...

College Football's Biggest Surprises of 2008 (So Far)

by Larry Burton (Senior Writer)

17

1282 reads

Rankings/List

November 27, 2008


This year has been typical in that there have been many surprises for fans to talk about.  Let’s recap a few of the biggest be they good or bad.

 

1. Alabama

Everyone said not if, but when Nick Saban would return the Crimson Tide to national prominence and BCS bowls.  Most thought he was at least a year or two away from making that happen.   Alabama’s ascent to number one this year has to be at least one of the biggest surprises.

 

1. Michigan

Help me understand how hiring Rich Rodriguez is a good thing.  They fired Lloyd Carr why?  I don’t believe anybody saw this train wreck coming, especially the people that hired Coach Rod.

 

1. The sudden and complete downfall of Tommy Bowden

Clemson was supposed to be a contender this year.  Instead, their miserable start cost Bowden his job and Clemson their hope for reaching the next level.

 

1. Tennessee

Picked to finish in the top 20, but instead struggling not to finish at the bottom of the SEC with their worst record in decades.  Like Bowden, Fulmer joins the unemployment line with this plummet.

 

1. The Big 12

Yes, many expected Oklahoma to be good, but nobody expected so many teams to have such great seasons.  The SEC is good, but the Big 12 is GREAT.  Never before have so many teams been so close to making it to the top from this conference.

 

1. Oregon State

By beating USC, the mighty Beavers are going to the Rose Bowl ahead of USC with a win over cross-state rival Oregon.  Anybody who said they saw Oregon State beating out USC for the Rose Bowl, raise your hand.  Yeah, that’s what I thought.

 

1. Auburn

Picked by some to win the SEC West, picked by all as a top 20 team, Auburn will be sitting at home this bowl season and perhaps looking for a new coach.  Tuberville’s experiment with the spread proved to be a disaster.  Now he’s trying to simply spread the blame.

 

1. Ole Miss

There’s not a man on the Ole Miss roster that’s ever been to a bowl game.  At the beginning of the season there was reason to expect this year would be different.  Houston Nutt proved one school’s problem could be another school’s solution.  The defeat of Florida cost the Gators a number one ranking and may qualify as the year’s big upset.

 

1. Tim Tebow

How can a former Heisman winner be snubbed the following year by the Unitas Award by not even being nominated?  John Parker Wilson over Tebow?  And we expect them to be rational?

 

1. Vanderbilt

The little team that could.  Vandy hasn’t been to a bowl game since 1982 but will be there this year.  Coach Bobby Johnson proved that the school’s confidence in giving him the time he needed to restore the program was not in vain.

 

Honorable Mention: Notre Dame

Most figured Notre Dame would continue to be an underperforming team, but few figured they would suck THIS bad.  Charlie Weis deserves the Golden Foot to the Lead Butt for this season and should be shown the door.  Many doubt it will happen, however.

 

I number these top 10 all number one because it's up to you to decide the order. Depending on the area of the country you live in and the team you pull for, I'm sure the order will change.

But as Lee Corso says so often, “Not so fast my friend.”  The season is far from over, and more surprises await.  The biggest story may still be unwritten.

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17 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Jeff Contizano 7 months ago

    Michigan was going to suck regardless of who the coach was.
    Notre Dame is more of a disappointment than surprise. They've just flat out stunk!
    Good article.

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    • Doug Kraus 7 months ago

      Agree with Jeff on his comment on that school up north. Don't agree about notre dame. It isn't a disappointment when they suck this bad - it is awesome!

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  2. Token Warshawski 7 months ago

    The reason Tebow wasn't nominated for the Unitas Award is that it goes to the top senior quarterback. Tebow is a junior.

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  3. Mitch at sportschatplace.com 7 months ago

    Good read Larry and like always it's been a surprising year. I don't think Bowden having a bad year and being gone is much of s surprise since in his 9 years at Clemson he was never ablr to muster better than 1 3 loss season, it was more surprising that there were expectations.
    I think Vandy has been a suprise but outside the SEC there have been some similar stories which are equally if not more impressive as Vandy faultered in the second half of the season. The Buffalo Bulls are playing Ball State nexr friday in the MAC title game, the Bulls haven't lost to anyone not considered on of the better teams this year. At Northwestern, no expectations have resulted in a very nice season and a Bowl bid, a better record than Vandy as well. I had Notre Dame this bad in my preseason preview but I have to agree that most didn't, amazing what a large fan base will do for you. good stuff as I sit here stuffed.

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    • Larry Burton 7 months ago

      Thanks and you're so right... Northwestern should have made the list maybe, but they haven't waited as long as Vandy, so I left them off the top 10, and you're right about Buffalo, I have not heard of them... Nice addition to the article... Thanks!

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  4. Rodney Keeton 7 months ago

    Really enjoyed the article. But SEC is "good" and Big 12 is "GREAT"? Please. SEC may not score as huge as Big 12, but they have the ACC disease. ACC teams fight over who will be #1 in the division by just not performing, the Big 12 fight over the same #1 spot but it's a "let's see who outscores who, and quicker". Big 12 has no defense. (See any game vs. an SEC team and Big 12 team). SEC would be in contention for the top spots but we beat the crap outta each other. SEC has defense AND offense. Big 12 just plays "boom ball." Huge runs, huge throws, huge scores (on both sides). Wait till Bowl games. It's no contest.

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    • Jonny Solovy 7 months ago

      Rodney, the SEC has two good teams, Florida and Bama... Georgia ia pretty good... the rest of the conference is average (ole miss) at best... please spare me on how great the sec is this year... it is okay to admit they are down this year for once!!!!

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    • Larry Burton 7 months ago

      You gotta admit the SEC isn't top dog this year, the Big 12 is just TOO offensively powerful to deny top billing. It's hard to admit, but you gotta give your dog his day!

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    • Doug Kraus 7 months ago

      Jonny is so right. Florida is a great team, Alabama is a really good team, Georgia is a good team, and then it drops off from there. This is the weakest year for the SEC overall in some time. The Big 12 South is tearing it up. As a Buckeye fan there is only 5 teams I wouldn't want to play: Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and USC. Though after last night's game, I think Texas might drop from that list.

      Florida pounds Alabama next weekend and earns a spot in the BCS National Championship game.

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  5. Ingram Worley 7 months ago

    Jonny, you may be right, this may be a down year for the SEC. But how many conferences would like to have a down year in which they had the #1 and #2 ranked teams in the country?

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    • Doug Kraus 7 months ago

      Remember a few years ago when OSU and Michigan were ranked #1 and #2 and everybody still said the Big Ten sucked?

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  6. Jim Bob Kern 7 months ago

    Good article Larry. I agree with your pick about Bama being one of the biggest surprises of this year. What a turn around from last year. I thought Bama might have an 8 or 9 win season this year. 11 so far is a just fantastic.

    And Oregon State just one win away from the Rose Bowl. Wow.

    And we still have two more weekends to go until the Bowl season is laid out. I'm sure their will be more surprises to come.

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  7. Talib Adams 7 months ago

    Lloyd Carr wasn't fired; he retired.

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  8. Jack Johnson 7 months ago

    OU (Rock) 65-21 over TT
    TT (Scissors) 39-33 over TX
    TX (Paper) 45-35 over OU

    OU 100-66 (+34)
    TX 78-74 (+4)
    TT 60-98 (-38)

    I'll take Oklahoma and a burrito...

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